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Age-related slowing of reaction times (RTs) is well documented but whether the phenomenon reflects deficits in movement preparation and/or response generation processes is unclear. To gain further insight into this issue, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to investigate motor cortex (M1) excitability and short-interval intracortical inhibitory (SICI) processes during a Go/NoGo RTtask in younger and older adults. Single- and paired-pulse TMS was delivered over the left M1 during preparation and response generation periods in a right-hand muscle. Younger adults had shorter RTs and a larger increase in corticospinal excitability at response generation period than older adults. SICI modulation for both groups showed a large reduction in inhibition immediately prior to EMGonset. These findings indicate age-related differences in corticospinal excitability during the response generation stage of sensorimotor information processing.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	Aging, Go/NoGo reaction time, Corticospinal excitability, Intracortical inhibition, Transcranial magnetic
Research Division:	Psychology
Research Group:	Cognitive and computational psychology
Research Field:	Sensory processes, perception and performance
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding knowledge in psychology
UTAS Author:	Fujiyama, H (Dr Hakuei Fujiyama)
UTAS Author:	Tandonnet, C (Dr Christophe Tandonnet)
UTAS Author:	Summers, JJ (Professor Jeffery Summers)
ID Code:	73165
Year Published:	2011
Web of Science® Times Cited:	25
Deposited By:	Psychology
Deposited On:	2011-09-16
Last Modified:	2014-12-05
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