The effects of age on visual expertise for print.
Progressive visual processing decline is a known factor in aging. The present study investigates the evolution of visual expertise for printed stimuli with aging. Fifty-five participants of increasing age (20-30, 40-50, 60-70, 75-85years old) were recruited. Behavioral and EEG data were collected during a lexical decision task, in which words and symbol strings were presented. Analyses of EEG data focused mainly on three major points: visual expertise for print, automatization of the expertise and differences in attentional demand between the processing of words and symbols. Results indicated a preservation of visual expertise with age, with larger N170 amplitude for words than for symbols. Moreover, a decrease in stimulus processing speed was observed as a function of age. No difference in attentional demand as a function of stimulus was observed.
INSERM 1114, Department of Psychiatry, University of Strasbourg, France. Electronic address: maxime.curzietti@orange.fr.
Maxime
M
Curzietti
INSERM 1114, Department of Psychiatry, University of Strasbourg, France.
Anne
A
Bonnefond
INSERM 1114, Department of Psychiatry, University of Strasbourg, France.
Bérengère
B
Staub
INSERM 1114, Department of Psychiatry, University of Strasbourg, France.
Pierre
P
Vidailhet
LISEC EA 2310, University of Strasbourg, University of Haute-Alsace, University of Lorraine, France.
Nadège
N
Doignon-Camus
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011327:Printing; D011932:Reading; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
Aging; EEG; Lexical decision; Reading; Visual processing