Age-related changes in the brain electrical correlates of response control

Objectives: Previously, a quantification method was validated which, on a single case basis, allows one to assess the NoGo-anteriorisation (NGA) of the positive area of long latency event-related potential (ERP) fields elicited by a cued continuous performance test (CPT). The NGA was shown to be associated with right frontal activity. The present study was conducted to investigate the influence of age and gender on this topographical index of cognitive response control. Methods: Thirty-seven healthy controls were investigated with 21-channel recordings during the execution of a cued CPT, and ERPs of the Go and NoGo condition were obtained. The location of the positive area centroids in a P300 range and the NGA were calculated and related to age and gender by means of correlation analysis and t tests. Results: The centroid locations of the brain electrical activity during the NoGo- and the Go-condition of the CPT, were both located in more anterior brain regions with increasing age (P<0.01 and P<0.1, respectively); the NGA, however, was not correlated with the subjectʹs age. Latencies and amplitudes of the Go- and NoGo-centroids were not correlated with age. No gender differences were found. Conclusions: The study showed that age is a source of variance for the positive area centroid locations in this Go-NoGo paradigm. The NGA, on the other hand, was robust to age and gender effects. The result is interpreted as a sign of an increasing contribution of frontal brain areas to cognitive response control during lifespan. The finding is consistent with the age-related topographical changes described in acoustic oddball-paradigms and, therefore, appears to be a general topographical ERP effect.