Age effects on the asymmetry of the motor system: Evidence from cortical oscillatory activity

Antonino Vallesi, Anthony R. McIntosh, Natasa Kovacevic, Chi Chung Chan, Donald T. Stuss

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

33 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Functional hemispheric asymmetry can be lost with aging. In this electroencephalographic study, we assessed hemispheric asymmetries in regulating motor responses by analyzing oscillatory brain activity during a go/nogo task in younger and older right-handed participants. Three conditions were embedded in the task: go, high-conflict and low-conflict nogo. The hand used to respond to go stimuli was varied block-wise. Independently of the go/nogo conditions and responding hand, young participants showed asymmetric desynchronizations in the mu (10. Hz) and beta (18-22. Hz) frequency bands that was stronger in the scalp sensorimotor region contralateral to the hand used for the go responses, while older adults showed a more symmetric pattern of desynchronization. These findings indicate that a loss of hemispheric asymmetry is a hallmark of the aging motor system, consistent with a decline of inter-hemispheric motor inhibition in normal aging.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)213-218
Number of pages6
JournalBiological Psychology
Volume85
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2010

Keywords

  • Event-related desynchronization
  • Go/nogo
  • Hemispheric asymmetry
  • Motor system
  • Normal aging
  • Time-frequency analysis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Age effects on the asymmetry of the motor system: Evidence from cortical oscillatory activity'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this