Aging effects on ERP correlates of emotional word discrimination

Molnár, Márk and Tóth, Brigitta and Boha, Roland and Gaál, Zsófia Anna and Kardos, Zsófia and File, Bálint (2013) Aging effects on ERP correlates of emotional word discrimination. CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY, 124 (10). pp. 1986-1994. ISSN 1388-2457

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Abstract

Objective: To explore age-, and valence specific ERP-characteristics of word-discrimination processes. Methods: A group of young (mean age: 21.26 yrs) and elderly (mean age: 65.73 yrs) individuals participated. The task was to respond to a word (target) with valence (neutral, negative, positive) and disregard others (non-target) with a different valence. Behavioral indices and the N4 and late positive complex (LPC) components were analyzed. Results: For words with negative valence performance was better for non-target stimuli in the young. Higher N4 was elicited by negative non-target words in the fronto-central areas. Target words elicited a P3b-like LPC in the young while a P3a-like LPC was observed in the elderly. Conclusion: The findings indicate that inhibition elicited by aversive events is observed for word stimuli as well, and is most effective in the young. Significance: The effect of valence during emotional word discrimination shows age-dependent differences reflected by ERPs.

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