Preserved Suppression of Salient Irrelevant Stimuli During Visual Search in Age-Associated Memory Impairment

Frontiers in Psychology
Laura Lorenzo-LópezJosé C Millán-Calenti

Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that older adults with age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) may show a significant decline in attentional resource capacity and inhibitory processes in addition to memory impairment. In the present paper, the potential attentional capture by task-irrelevant stimuli was examined in older adults with AAMI compared to healthy older adults using scalp-recorded event-related brain potentials (ERPs). ERPs were recorded during the execution of a visual search task, in which the participants had to detect the presence of a target stimulus that differed from distractors by orientation. To explore the automatic attentional capture phenomenon, an irrelevant distractor stimulus defined by a different feature (color) was also presented without previous knowledge of the participants. A consistent N2pc, an electrophysiological indicator of attentional deployment, was present for target stimuli but not for task-irrelevant color stimuli, suggesting that these irrelevant distractors did not attract attention in AAMI older adults. Furthermore, the N2pc for targets was significantly delayed in AAMI patients compared to healthy older controls. Together, these findings suggest a specific impairment of the attention...Continue Reading

References

Nov 1, 1975·Journal of Psychiatric Research·M F FolsteinP R McHugh
Jun 1, 1992·Perception & Psychophysics·J Theeuwes
Aug 1, 1991·Perception & Psychophysics·J Theeuwes
Oct 1, 1981·Annals of Neurology·M M Mesulam
Sep 1, 1995·Journal of the American Geriatrics Society·T HänninenP J Riekkinen
Jan 1, 1995·The International Journal of Neuroscience·S J Luck, S A Hillyard
Oct 1, 1994·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance·S J Luck, S A Hillyard
May 1, 1994·Perception & Psychophysics·W F Bacon, H E Egeth
May 1, 1994·Psychophysiology·S J Luck, S A Hillyard
Aug 1, 1994·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance·J Theeuwes
Sep 1, 1996·Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology·M Eimer
Mar 14, 1998·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·S J Luck, M A Ford
Jun 17, 1998·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance·C L Folk, R Remington
Aug 31, 2001·Neuropsychologia·R BlesaUNKNOWN NORMACODEM Group. NORMAlisation of Cognitive and Functional Instruments for DEMentia
Jan 5, 2002·Perception & Psychophysics·M S Peterson, A F Kramer
Feb 26, 2003·Neurobiology of Aging·P AndererR D Pascual-Marqui
Apr 3, 2003·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance·Geoffrey F Woodman, Steven J Luck
Apr 21, 2004·Perception & Psychophysics·P M Greenwood, Raja Parasuraman
Oct 2, 2004·Current Biology : CB·Charles E ConnorSteven Yantis
Sep 15, 2005·Nature Neuroscience·Adam GazzaleyMark D'Esposito
May 27, 2006·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Andrew B Leber, Howard E Egeth
Jun 7, 2006·Experimental Aging Research·Terry LevittMargaret Crossley
Jun 14, 2006·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·Clayton HickeyJan Theeuwes
Aug 11, 2006·Biological Psychology·Martin Eimer, Monika Kiss
Mar 10, 2007·Neurobiology of Aging·Laura Lorenzo-LópezFernando Cadaveira
Jun 20, 2008·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·Clayton HickeyJohn J McDonald
May 5, 2009·International Journal of Psychophysiology : Official Journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology·Socorro Rodríguez HolguínFernando Cadaveira
Nov 26, 2009·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·Agnieszka Wykowska, Anna Schubö
Mar 12, 2010·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Gordon L ShulmanMaurizio Corbetta
Jul 12, 2011·Biological Psychology·Elena Solesio-JofreFernando Maestú
Nov 15, 2011·The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences·Elena Solesio-JofreFernando Maestú
Jan 24, 2012·Alzheimer's & Dementia : the Journal of the Alzheimer's Association·Alex WardJesse M Cedarbaum
Jun 19, 2013·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Jennifer L O'BrienJennifer J Lister
Nov 6, 2013·International Journal of Psychophysiology : Official Journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology·Vincent Jetté PomerleauPierre Jolicœur

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

Presentation
BrainVision Analyzer
Brain Vision recorder

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Aging Epidemiology

This feed focuses on epidemiology of aging and aging-related conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and age-associated cognitive impairment. Here is the latest research.

Age-related Dementia

Dementias are a group of conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and frontotemporal dementia, characterized by deficiencies in cognitive abilities. Age-related dementia refers to dementias that occur in older individuals, usually 60+ years old, in contrast to early-onset dementia. Follow the latest research on age-related dementia here.