Phasic alerting increases visual attention capacity in younger but not in older individuals

TY - JOUR

T1 - Phasic alerting increases visual attention capacity in younger but not in older individuals

AU - Wiegand, Iris Michaela

AU - Petersen, Anders

AU - Bundesen, Claus

AU - Habekost, Thomas

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - In the present study, we investigated effects of phasic alerting on visual attention in younger and older adults. We modelled parameters of visual attention based on the computational Theory of Visual Attention (TVA) and measured event-related lateralizations (ERLs) in a partial report task, in which half of the displays were preceded by an auditory warning cue. Younger adults showed an alertness-related visual processing facilitation: TVA parameter sensory effectiveness a, a measure of visual processing capacity, was significantly increased, and latencies of visual ERLs were significantly reduced following the warning cue. By contrast, older adults did not benefit from the alerting cue: TVA parameter sensory effectiveness a and ERL latencies did not differ between conditions with and without cues. The findings indicate age-related changes in the brain network underlying alertness and attention, which governs the responsiveness to external cues and is critical for general cognitive functioning in aging.

AB - In the present study, we investigated effects of phasic alerting on visual attention in younger and older adults. We modelled parameters of visual attention based on the computational Theory of Visual Attention (TVA) and measured event-related lateralizations (ERLs) in a partial report task, in which half of the displays were preceded by an auditory warning cue. Younger adults showed an alertness-related visual processing facilitation: TVA parameter sensory effectiveness a, a measure of visual processing capacity, was significantly increased, and latencies of visual ERLs were significantly reduced following the warning cue. By contrast, older adults did not benefit from the alerting cue: TVA parameter sensory effectiveness a and ERL latencies did not differ between conditions with and without cues. The findings indicate age-related changes in the brain network underlying alertness and attention, which governs the responsiveness to external cues and is critical for general cognitive functioning in aging.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - Cognitive aging

KW - arousal

KW - visual attention

KW - event-related potentials

KW - warning cue

KW - noradrenaline

U2 - 10.1080/13506285.2017.1330791

DO - 10.1080/13506285.2017.1330791

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1350-6285

VL - 25

SP - 343

EP - 357

JO - Visual Cognition

JF - Visual Cognition

IS - 1-3

ER -