Age-related changes in antisaccade task performance: Inhibitory control or working-memory engagement?

In antisaccade tasks, subjects are required to generate a saccade in the direction opposite to the location of a sudden-onset target stimulus. Compared to young adults, older adults tend to make more reflex-like eye movements towards the target, and/or show longer saccadic onset latencies on correct...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain and cognition 2004-11, Vol.56 (2), p.177-188
Main Authors: Eenshuistra, Rena M., Ridderinkhof, K. Richard, Molen, Maurits W. van der
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aging
Aging - physiology
Antisaccade task
Eye Movements
Female
Field Dependence-Independence
Fixation, Ocular - physiology
Humans
Inhibition (Psychology)
Inhibitory control
Intention
Male
Memory
Memory, Short-Term - physiology
Middle Aged
Photic Stimulation
Reaction Time - physiology
Reference Values
Saccades - physiology
Working memory
Young Adults
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Summary:In antisaccade tasks, subjects are required to generate a saccade in the direction opposite to the location of a sudden-onset target stimulus. Compared to young adults, older adults tend to make more reflex-like eye movements towards the target, and/or show longer saccadic onset latencies on correct direct antisaccades. To better understand the nature of these effects of aging on antisaccade performance, we examined the role of age-related deficiencies in inhibitory control vis-à-vis age changes in the engagement of working memory. Inhibitory demands were manipulated using fixation-offset conditions, while working-memory demands were manipulated by varying memory-updating requirements. The results indicate that inhibitory oculomotor functions remain largely intact with advancing age; older adults’ performance breaks down only when their limited working-memory capacity is taxed by increasing updating demands.
ISSN:0278-2626
1090-2147
DOI:10.1016/j.bandc.2004.02.077