About time: Ageing influences neural markers of temporal predictability

Pia Brinkmann; Simon Rigoulot; Melissa Kadi; Michael Schwartze; Sonja A Kotz; Simone Dalla Bella

doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108135

About time: Ageing influences neural markers of temporal predictability

Biol Psychol. 2021 Jul:163:108135. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108135. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Authors

Pia Brinkmann¹, Simon Rigoulot², Melissa Kadi³, Michael Schwartze⁴, Sonja A Kotz⁵, Simone Dalla Bella⁶

Affiliations

¹ International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research (BRAMS), Montreal, Canada; Dept. of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Dept. of Neuropsychology & Psychopharmacology, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
² International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research (BRAMS), Montreal, Canada; Dept. of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Dept. of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois Rivières, Trois Rivières, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), Montreal, Canada.
³ International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research (BRAMS), Montreal, Canada; Dept. of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), Montreal, Canada.
⁴ Dept. of Neuropsychology & Psychopharmacology, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
⁵ International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research (BRAMS), Montreal, Canada; Dept. of Neuropsychology & Psychopharmacology, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
⁶ International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research (BRAMS), Montreal, Canada; Dept. of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), Montreal, Canada; Dept. of Cognitive Psychology, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: simone.dalla.bella@umontreal.ca.

PMID: 34126165
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108135

Abstract

Timing abilities help organizing the temporal structure of events but are known to change systematically with age. Yet, how the neuronal signature of temporal predictability changes across the age span remains unclear. Younger (n = 21; 23.1 years) and older adults (n = 21; 68.5 years) performed an auditory oddball task, consisting of isochronous and random sound sequences. Results confirm an altered P50 response in the older compared to younger participants. P50 amplitudes differed between the isochronous and random temporal structures in younger, and for P200 in the older group. These results suggest less efficient sensory gating in older adults in both isochronous and random auditory sequences. N100 amplitudes were more negative for deviant tones. P300 amplitudes were parietally enhanced in younger, but not in older adults. In younger participants, the P50 results confirm that this component marks temporal predictability, indicating sensitive gating of temporally regular sound sequences.

Keywords: Ageing; ERP; Formal structure; Oddball; Rhythm perception; Temporal predictability; Temporal structure; Timing.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Acoustic Stimulation
Aged
Aging
Auditory Perception
Electroencephalography*
Evoked Potentials, Auditory*
Humans
Reaction Time
Sensory Gating