Age-related decline in cognitive control: the role of fluid intelligence and processing speed

[en] Background Research on cognitive control suggests an age-related decline in proactive control abilities whereas reactive control seems to remain intact. However, the reason of the differential age effect on cognitive control efficiency is still unclear. This study investigated the potential influence of fluid intelligence and processing speed on the selective age-related decline in proactive control. Eighty young and 80 healthy older adults were included in this study. The participants were submitted to a working memory recognition paradigm, assessing proactive and reactive cognitive control by manipulating the interference level across items. Results Repeated measures ANOVAs and hierarchical linear regressions indicated that the ability to appropriately use cognitive control processes during aging seems to be at least partially affected by the amount of available cognitive resources (assessed by fluid intelligence and processing speed abilities). Conclusions This study highlights the potential role of cognitive resources on the selective age-related decline in proactive control, suggesting the importance of a more exhaustive approach considering the confounding variables during cognitive control assessment.

Research center :

GIGA CRC (Cyclotron Research Center) In vivo Imaging-Aging & Memory - ULiège

Disciplines :

Neurosciences & behavior

Author, co-author :

Manard, Marine ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie : cognition et comportement > Neuropsychologie

Carabin, Delphine

Jaspar, Mathieu ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Centre de recherches du cyclotron

Collette, Fabienne ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie : cognition et comportement > Neuropsychologie

Language :

English

Title :

Age-related decline in cognitive control: the role of fluid intelligence and processing speed

Publication date :

2014

Journal title :

BMC Neuroscience

eISSN :

1471-2202

Publisher :

BioMed Central

Volume :

Issue :

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

http://reflexions.ulg.ac.be/en/ExecutiveFunctions

Funders :

F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]
ULiège - Université de Liège [BE]

Available on ORBi :

since 13 January 2014

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