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Are Age-Related Differences Uniform Across Different Inhibitory Functions?

J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2016 Jul;71(4):641-9

Authors: Vadaga KK, Blair M, Li KZ

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: In the current experiment, we examined the relative age-sensitivity of 3 inhibitory functions: access, deletion, and restraint by taking into consideration their underlying control processes: proactive and reactive control.

METHODS: The 3 inhibitory functions were measured using a sequential flanker task. Young (age: 18-35, n = 24) and older adults (age: 60-75, n = 25) first memorized a series of 8 animal words in a fixed order. In the test phase, these stimuli were presented randomly either singly or with flankers and participants responded "yes" or "no" based on the prelearned sequence. In the access trials, flankers were either ahead of the current target or unrelated. In the deletion trials, flankers were previous target items. In the restraint trials, the flanker cues (XXXX) prompted the participants to withhold responses occasionally. Unflanked trials served as the baseline condition.

RESULTS: Age-related differences in the magnitude of inhibition effects were largest in restraint, followed by deletion. No age-related differences were observed in access.

DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that the magnitude of age-related differences in inhibitory functions is contingent on the degree of proactive control recruited by a given inhibitory function.

PMID: 25681089 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]