Reaction Times of Aging Subjects to Monaural Verbal Stimuli

1987 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Rastatter ◽  
Cindy Lawson-Brill
Keyword(s):  
Left Hemisphere ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Linguistic Processing ◽  
Verbal Stimuli ◽  
Language Analysis ◽  
Processing Ability ◽  
Advanced Stages ◽  
Young Subjects

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of advanced aging on hemispheric organization for linguistic processing. Specifically, it was an attempt to identify whether the neurological substrate responsible for right-hemispheric language analysis diminishes in function. Measures of the influence on reaction time of the hand used to respond versus the hemisphere stimulated were obtained for a geriatric sample in an attempt to obtain an index of right-versus left-hemisphere auditory-verbal processing ability. Twenty-four right-handed geriatric subjects responded to monaurally presented verbal stimuli with their right and left hands at separate times. Reaction times were significantly faster when subjects heard the words in their right ears, regardless of the hand used to respond. Such findings were consistent with a strict model of neurolinguistic organization that suggests that the left hemisphere was responsible solely for language processing in the present group of elderly subjects. Compared to data previously gathered for young subjects, the current findings were interpreted to suggest that right-hemispheric language processing ability is inhibited in the more advanced stages of life.

Effects of Age and Memory Grouping on Simulated Car Driving

2002 ◽  
Vol 46 (22) ◽  
pp. 1853-1857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Bao ◽  
Miklos Kiss ◽  
Marc Wittmann
Keyword(s):  
Visual Memory ◽  
Red Light ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Fast Reaction ◽  
Elderly Drivers ◽  
Young Subjects ◽  
Color Grouping ◽  
Car Driving

The effects of an onboard visual memory task on simulated car driving were investigated in 20 young and 20 elderly drivers. Three experimental tasks (memory, driving, and dual task) were conducted in this study. Grouping of the presented memory words was manipulated by color, size, shape, and location. Results showed that grouping only improves memory for young people, but not for elderly in the memory-alone condition. No memory improvement by the grouping arrangement was found in the driving situation. However, reaction time to red light and number of driving errors showed that grouping did play an important role for elderly, but not for young subjects. The concurrent memory task significantly increased elderly subjects' reaction times. Color grouping, however, led to relatively fast reaction times and fewer driving errors. Possible reasons for the age-dependent grouping effect during driving and the implications of this effect for the development of onboard instruments are discussed.

Processing of center-embedded and right-branching relative clause sentences by normal elderly individuals

1993 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shari R. Baum
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Relative Clause ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Older Subjects ◽  
Young Subjects ◽  
Repetition Task

ABSTRACTTwo experiments were conducted to explore processing of relative clause structures by normal elderly adults. Four groups of subjects (aged 20–29 years, 60–69 years, 70–79 years, and 80–89 years) participated in a lexical decision task and a sentence repetition task. Results of the lexical decision task revealed longer reaction times and somewhat different patterns of performance for the older subjects as compared to the young subjects; on the repetition task, the oldest subjects performed more poorly overall. Findings are suggestive of a reduction in computational capacity in the elderly subjects, which may account for observed decrements in syntactic processing as compared to young adults.

scholarly journals The Role of the Primary Sensory Cortices in Early Language Processing

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 1755-1765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew C. Papanicolaou ◽  
Marina Kilintari ◽  
Roozbeh Rezaie ◽  
Shalini Narayana ◽  
Abbas Babajani-Feremi
Keyword(s):  
Left Hemisphere ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Stimulus Onset ◽  
Linguistic Processing ◽  
Feature Processing ◽  
Sensory Cortices ◽  
Linguistic Analyses ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Language Network

The results of this magnetoencephalography study challenge two long-standing assumptions regarding the brain mechanisms of language processing: First, that linguistic processing proper follows sensory feature processing effected by bilateral activation of the primary sensory cortices that lasts about 100 msec from stimulus onset. Second, that subsequent linguistic processing is effected by left hemisphere networks outside the primary sensory areas, including Broca's and Wernicke's association cortices. Here we present evidence that linguistic analysis begins almost synchronously with sensory, prelinguistic verbal input analysis and that the primary cortices are also engaged in these linguistic analyses and become, consequently, part of the left hemisphere language network during language tasks. These findings call for extensive revision of our conception of linguistic processing in the brain.

Effect of Generating a Semantic Prime

1995 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 148-151
Author(s):  
Amy Hasselkus ◽  
Scott S. Rubin ◽  
Marilyn Newhoff
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Memory ◽  
Semantic Priming ◽  
Word Pair ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Normal Aging ◽  
Generation Effect ◽  
Memory Access ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Spreading Activation ◽  
Young Subjects

Studies of both semantic priming and the generation effect (GE) have implicated spreading activation in semantic memory and have provided evidence for a semantic memory access disorder in patients with dementia. Fifteen subjects consisting of young, elderly, and demented patients participated in a semantic priming/GE task to determine whether the act of generating a semantic prime enhanced activation and reduced reaction times to related items. Reaction times were recorded for semantically related and unrelated targets presented after either read or generated word pair cues. From the results it was suggested that generating a prime provided little benefit for young subjects or subjects with dementia; elderly subjects benefited more from generating information than from reading it. Implications for theories of dementia and normal aging are discussed.

Some Effects of Advanced Aging on the Visual-Language Processing Capacity of the Left and Right Hemispheres

1990 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Rastatter ◽  
Richard A. McGuire
Keyword(s):  
Visual Field ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
False Positive ◽  
False Negative ◽  
Visual Fields ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Error Type ◽  
Left And Right

The present study investigated the effects of advanced aging on hemispheric organization for visual-linguistic processing. Lexical decision vocal-reaction times of geriatric subjects were measured for unilaterally presented concrete and abstract nouns in an attempt to obtain an index of differential left and right hemispheric processing ability. Results of an ANOVA procedure showed that reaction times were significantly faster when subjects were presented the stimulus items in their right visual fields, regardless of whether the item was a concrete or abstract word. An ANOVA procedure applied to the arcsine of the percentages of occurrence of false-positive and false-negative error types showed a significant interaction between the error type and visual field variables. Post hoc tests showed left visual field, false-positive errors occurred significantly more often than the remaining visual field, error type configurations. Finally, for the reaction time data, a significant correlation existed between the two visual fields for the concrete and abstract items. Collectively, such findings were consistent with a callosal relay model of neurolinguistic organization, suggesting that the right hemisphere’s ability to perform lexical decisions was diminished in the present group of elderly subjects.

Reaction Times of Moderate and Severe Stutterers to Monaural Verbal Stimuli

1987 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Rastatter ◽  
Carl W. Dell
Keyword(s):  
Language Processing ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Verbal Stimuli ◽  
The Right ◽  
Main Effects ◽  
Verbal Analysis ◽  
Bilateral Model

Fourteen right-handed stutterers and 14 normal speakers (7 men & 7 women) responded to monaurally presented stimuli with their right and left hands. Results of an ANOVA with repeated measures showed that a significant ear-hand interaction existed in the normal subjects' data, with the right-ear, right-hand configuration producing the fastest responses. These findings were in concert with an efficiency model of neurolinguistic organization that suggests that the left hemisphere is dominant for language processing with the right hemisphere being capable of performing less efficient auditory-verbal analysis. Results of a similar ANOVA procedure showed that all main effects and interactions were nonsignificant for the stutterers. From these data a bilateral model of neurolinguistic organization was derived for the stutterers where both hemispheres must participate simultaneously in the decoding process. This held true regardless of sex or severity of stuttering.

Memory and Attention Test Performance of Young and Elderly Subjects After Retest Practice

1995 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sybille Rockstroh ◽  
Bruno Dietrich ◽  
Rolf Pokorny
Keyword(s):  
Test Performance ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Age Difference ◽  
Attention Task ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Young Subjects ◽  
Young And Elderly Subjects

The effects of training on two memory and two attention tasks were investigated in 24 healthy elderly and 23 young subjects. Two training periods, each consisting of four sessions, were performed, and the effects of training were assessed during two test sessions 1 week thereafter. Significant age-related effects at the pretraining test session were found for reaction times to a simple visual stimulus, retrieval time of information from long-term storage, and the speed of focusing attention. In both age groups, performance of the first two tasks was significantly improved by training; however, the age-related effect remained significant after training. In the focused attention task, the age difference at baseline disappeared after training due to an opposite learning trend in young and elderly subjects. Thus, the cognitive performance of elderly subjects could be trained to a large extent. Significant age differences, however, could be decreased only if the test performance of young subjects did not improve.

scholarly journals Extra Virgin Olive Oil Prevents the Age-Related Shifts of the Distribution of HDL Subclasses and Improves Their Functionality

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2235
Author(s):  
Alyann Otrante ◽  
Amal Trigui ◽  
Roua Walha ◽  
Hicham Berrougui ◽  
Tamas Fulop ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Olive Oil ◽  
Virgin Olive Oil ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Extra Virgin Olive Oil ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
High Density ◽  
Lipoprotein Cholesterol ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Young Subjects

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) maintain cholesterol homeostasis through the role they play in regulating reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), a process by which excess cholesterol is transported back to the liver for elimination. However, RCT can be altered in the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, such as aging, which contributes to the increase in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) intake on the cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) of HDL, and to elucidate on the mechanisms by which EVOO intake improves the anti-atherogenic activity of HDL. A total of 84 healthy women and men were enrolled and were distributed, according to age, into two groups: 27 young (31.81 ± 6.79 years) and 57 elderly (70.72 ± 5.6 years) subjects. The subjects in both groups were given 25 mL/d of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for 12 weeks. CEC was measured using J774 macrophages radiolabeled with tritiated cholesterol ((3H) cholesterol). HDL subclass distributions were analyzed using the Quantimetrix Lipoprint® system. The HDL from the elderly subjects exhibited a lower level of CEC, at 11.12% (p < 0.0001), than the HDL from the young subjects. The CEC of the elderly subjects returned to normal levels following 12 weeks of EVOO intake. An analysis of the distribution of HDL subclasses showed that HDL from the elderly subjects were composed of lower levels of large HDL (L-HDL) (p < 0.03) and higher levels of small HDL (S-HDL) (p < 0.002) compared to HDL from the young subjects. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between CEC and L-HDL levels (r = 0.35 and p < 0.001) as well as an inverse correlation between CEC and S-HDL levels (r = −0.27 and p < 0.01). This correlation remained significant even when several variables, including age, sex, and BMI as well as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and glucose levels (β = 0.28, p < 0.002, and β = 0.24, p = 0.01) were accounted for. Consuming EVOO for 12 weeks modulated the age-related difference in the distribution of HDL subclasses by reducing the level of S-HDL and increasing the level of intermediate-HDL/large-HDL (I-HDL/L-HDL) in the elderly subjects. The age-related alteration of the CEC of HDL was due, in part, to an alteration in the distribution of HDL subclasses. A diet enriched in EVOO improved the functionality of HDL through an increase in I-HDL/L-HDL and a decrease in S-HDL.

scholarly journals POS1288 TUBERCULOUS SPONDYLODISCITIS IN ELDERLY: EPIDEMIOLOGY, CLINICAL, FEATURES, TREATMENT AND OUTCOMES

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 926.1-926
Author(s):  
M. Mrabet ◽  
S. Boussaid ◽  
S. Jemmali ◽  
H. Sahli ◽  
H. Ajlani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Features ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Lumbar Pain ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Normocytic Anemia ◽  
Imaging Features ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Young Subjects ◽  
Tuberculous Spondylodiscitis

Background:Tuberculosis is still endemic all over the world. The incidence of tuberculous spondylodiscitis (TS) is steadily increasing. Clinical features and outcomes of this affection are various and depending on various parameters, including age.Objectives:Our objective was to explore the differences in presentation and the results of further investigations and the prognosis of TS between young and elderly subjects.Methods:We conduct a retrospective and descriptive study in a single rheumatology department. Data were collected from files of patients hospitalized in the past 20 years (2000-2020) who have been diagnosed with TS. We carried out a comparative study concerning the clinical biological, imaging features and outcomes between young subjects and subjects aged over 65 years.Results:Fifty-two cases of TS were collected (37F/15M). The mean age of the population was 55.21 years ± 17.79 [19-91]. Thirty-three patients (69.2%) were classified as young versus 16 elderly patients (30.8%), with female predominance in both groups (69.4% and 75% respectively, p = 0.57). Young subjects was more frequently vaccinated (88.9%) by Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) (p < 0.001). A delayed diagnosis was noted in both groups (p = 0.24). Lumbar spine involvement was the most common (57.7%). In the two age ranges, the onset of the disease was progressive (p = 0.22), characterized by segmental spine stiffness (p = 0.57) and lumbar pain with general signs (p = 0.27), such as: impaired general condition, fever, night sweats and weight loss. Biological inflammatory syndrome and normochrome normocytic anemia were encountered in both cases (p = 0.08 and p = 0.2, respectively). Standard X-rays and Computed tomography were more performed in young subjects (94.4% and 69.4%, respectively; p < 0.001), unlike magnetic resonance imaging which was more common in elderly subjects but with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.22). Disc pinch, erosion of vertebral plateaus and vertebral collapse were the major signs (82.7%, 65.4% and 67.3%, respectively). Clinical, biological and imaging arguments contributed to positive diagnosis in both groups (p = 0.24). Common medical treatment was anti-tuberculosis: Isoniazid (H), Rifampicin (R), Pyrazinamide (Z), Ethambutol (E) and physical treatment such as immobilization witch was more common in the eldery (56.3%, p = 0.16). The evolution of the disease was characterized by a clear improvement of young subjects during the second week of treatment (p < 0.001). A more frequent clinical improvement in older subjects was during the fourth week but with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.13). The occurrence of immediate complications was more frequent in the elderly (p = 0.23) with a predominance for drug complications (56.3%) such as: hepatic cytolysis (12.5%), hyperuricemia (18.8%) and major intolerance to anti-tuberculosis (18.8%).Conclusion:TS is a frequent condition that needs to be treated rapidly. the clinical presentation of TS in the elderly is less noisy which leads to more frequent complications and mortality.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

Decreased Neutrophil Cyclic AMP Response to Isoprenaline Stimulation in the Elderly

1983 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. G. Cotter ◽  
K. O'Malley
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibodies ◽  
Cyclic Amp ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Population Heterogeneity ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Young Subjects ◽  
Drug Free

1. Neutrophils from drug-free elderly subjects produced approximately 50% less cyclic AMP in response to isoprenaline than did neutrophils from young subjects. A significant difference in basal cyclic AMP levels was also evident (elderly 2.8 ± 0.37; young 4.9 ± 0.36 pmol of cAMP/107 cells; P < 0.05). 2. With a range of anti-neutrophil monoclonal antibodies no evidence of age-related neutrophil population heterogeneity was found. 3. These findings indicate that the age-related decline in β-adrenoceptor responsiveness is not due to changes in the neutrophil population. 4. The present results support the hypothesis that there is a generalized decline in β-adrenoceptor-mediated responsiveness in the elderly.

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