Same modulation but different starting points: performance modulates age differences in inferior frontal cortex activity during word-retrieval.

ABSTRACT: The neural basis of word-retrieval deficits in normal aging has rarely been assessed and the few previous functional imaging studies found enhanced activity in right prefrontal areas in healthy older compared to younger adults. However, more pronounced right prefrontal recruitment has primarily been observed during challenging task conditions. Moreover, increased task difficulty may result in enhanced activity in the ventral inferior frontal gyrus (vIFG) bilaterally in younger participants as well. Thus, the question arises whether increased activity in older participants represents an age-related phenomenon or reflects task difficulty effects. In the present study, we manipulated task difficulty during overt semantic and phonemic word-generation and used functional magnetic resonance imag

SUBMITTER: Meinzer M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3305312 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature