Mw. Geisler et al., Neuropsychological performance and cognitive olfactory event-related brainpotentials in young and elderly adults, J CL EXP N, 21(1), 1999, pp. 108-126
Citations number
103
Categorie Soggetti
Psycology,Neurology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
The P3 event-related brain potential (ERP) reflects neuroelectric activity
related to the speed of cognitive processing and allocation of attentional
resources. The objective of the present study was to assess the relationshi
p between the P3 and Slow Wave components of the olfactory event-related po
tential (OERP) with neuropsychological performance in young (n = 16) and el
derly (n = 16) adults. OERPs were recorded monopolarly from midline electro
de sites while subjects estimated the odor magnitude of each stimulus, elic
iting highly reproducible P3s. Results showed that the late cognitive compo
nents (P3 amplitude, P3 latency and Slow Wave area) decline with age and th
at this decreased neuronal efficiency is associated with reductions in the
neuropsychological performance indexed by the Trail Making Test and the Cal
ifornia Verbal Learning Test.