A Non-linear Relationship Between Selective Attention and Associated ERP Markers Across the Lifespan

Abstract

The ability to selectively attend to task-relevant information increases throughout childhood and decreases in older age. Here, we intended to investigate these opposing developmental trajectories, to assess whether gains and losses early and late in life are associated with similar or different electrophysiological changes, and to get a better understanding about the development in middle-adulthood. We (re-)analyzed behavioral and electrophysiological data of 211 participants, who performed a colored Flanker task while their Electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded. Participants were subdivided into six groups depending on their age, ranging from 8 to 83 years. We analyzed response speed and accuracy as well as the event replated potential (ERP) components P1 and N1, associated with visual processing and attention, N2 as marker of interference suppression and cognitive control, and P3 as a marker of cognitive updating and stimulus categorization. Response speed and accuracy were low early and later in life, with peak performance in young adults. Similarly, ERP latencies of all components and P1 and N1 amplitudes followed a u-shape pattern with shortest latencies and smallest amplitudes occurring in middle-age. N2 amplitudes were larger in children, and for incongruent stimuli in adults middle-aged and older. P3 amplitudes showed a parietal-to-frontal shift with age. Further, group-wise regression analyses suggested that children’s performance depended on cognitive processing speed, while older adults’ performance depended on cognitive resources. Together these results imply that different mechanisms restrict performance early and late in life and suggest a non-linear relationship between electrophysiological markers and performance in the Flanker task across the lifespan.

Additional Exergames to Regular Tennis Training Improves Cognitive-Motor Functions of Children but May Temporarily Affect Tennis Technique: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

“…We did not perform the state-of-the-art neurophysiological measurements in the current study; hence we are unable to determine which processes were optimized by the exergame intervention. Reuter et al (2019) found that cognitive processing speed (P3 latency) is the only significant predictor of response speed in children at the Flanker test. The authors further note that cognitive control (frontal N2 and P3 amplitude), and cognitive update (parietal P3) are important predictors of response accuracy.…”

“…The authors further note that cognitive control (frontal N2 and P3 amplitude), and cognitive update (parietal P3) are important predictors of response accuracy. According to Reuter et al (2019) findings, exergame may had primarily improved information processing speed (P3 latency). As there were no differences between the groups in the accuracy response, we cannot assert to have equally affected the cognitive control (frontal N2 and P3 amplitude) and cognitive updating (parietal P3).…”

Efficacy of Neurocognitive Rehabilitation After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery in Improving Quality of Life: An Interventional Trial

“…Selective attention allows to successfully focus on goal relevant information while inhibiting irrelevant information. As such selective attention is part of inhibitory control (Reuter et al, 2019). In this study, patients were presented 80 sets of arrows as a stimulus (central arrow as target stimulus surrounded by other distractor arrows).…”

EEG signatures of cognitive and social development of preschool children–a systematic review

“…Another observation of the review is that N170 amplitude and latency and P1 latency in response to faces decrease with increasing age [ 77 , 81 , 82 ], consistent with prior reports [ 95 , 108 ]. The decrease across age in P1 and N1 latency and N2 amplitude in response to the Flanker task demonstrated in a study in this review [ 48 ] has also recently emerged as a finding of a study conducted after this review search investigating developmental changes of selective attention [ 109 ].…”