TY - JOUR
T1 - Attentional training in elderly subjects affects voluntarily oriented, but not automatic attention
T2 - A neurophysiological study
AU - Le Pera, Domenica
AU - Ranghi, Francesca
AU - De Armas, Liala
AU - Valeriani, Massimiliano
AU - Giaquinto, Salvatore
PY - 2005/8
Y1 - 2005/8
N2 - Objectives: Our study aimed at investigating the effect of repetitive recordings on somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) related to spatial attention in a population of healthy elderly subjects. Methods: Fifteen healthy elderly subjects were tested for six consecutive days using a somatosensory oddball paradigm, in which target stimuli were applied above the elbow and the non-target stimuli on the ipsilateral shoulder. Brain electrical activity was recorded from six scalp electrodes (Fz, Cz, F3, F4, T3 and T4). Results: The N140 response to target stimuli showed a significantly decreased amplitude across the sessions with the lowest value during the fourth day of recording and with a partial recovery at the sixth day. On the contrary, the amplitude of the N140 response to non-target stimuli and that of the P300 potential to target stimuli were not significantly modified. Conclusions: The significant amplitude reduction of the N140 potential in target, but not in non-target recordings across sessions, suggests that the voluntarily oriented attention is reduced by stimulus repetition, while the automatic attention is not.
AB - Objectives: Our study aimed at investigating the effect of repetitive recordings on somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) related to spatial attention in a population of healthy elderly subjects. Methods: Fifteen healthy elderly subjects were tested for six consecutive days using a somatosensory oddball paradigm, in which target stimuli were applied above the elbow and the non-target stimuli on the ipsilateral shoulder. Brain electrical activity was recorded from six scalp electrodes (Fz, Cz, F3, F4, T3 and T4). Results: The N140 response to target stimuli showed a significantly decreased amplitude across the sessions with the lowest value during the fourth day of recording and with a partial recovery at the sixth day. On the contrary, the amplitude of the N140 response to non-target stimuli and that of the P300 potential to target stimuli were not significantly modified. Conclusions: The significant amplitude reduction of the N140 potential in target, but not in non-target recordings across sessions, suggests that the voluntarily oriented attention is reduced by stimulus repetition, while the automatic attention is not.
KW - N140 potentials
KW - P300 potentials
KW - Repetitive recordings
KW - Somatosensory evoked potentials
KW - Spatial attention
KW - Training
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U2 - 10.1016/j.neures.2005.05.001
DO - 10.1016/j.neures.2005.05.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 15970344
AN - SCOPUS:21444449090
VL - 52
SP - 379
EP - 386
JO - Neuroscience Research
JF - Neuroscience Research
SN - 0168-0102
IS - 4
ER -