AGE AND INTERHEMISPHERIC-TRANSFER TIME - A FAILURE TO REPLICATE

In a recent study with the Poffenberger paradigm, Brizzolara et al. re ported longer estimates of interhemispheric transfer time (IHTT) for c hildren aged 7 years than for adults. They interpreted this finding as evidence for incomplete functional maturity of the corpus callosum in young children. The present study was we were unable to replicate the age effect reported by Brizzolara et al. A closer look at the origina l study revealed that only 80 observations per child had been collecte d, which makes it probable that the larger IHTTs in 7-year-olds were c aused by stimulus-response compatibility rather than by the lower effi ciency of the corpus callosum during childhood years. (C) 1997 Elsevie r Science B.V.