[原著］Age related changes in event-related potentials and psychological testing in healthy elderly subjects

概要

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P300 latency in event-related potentials (ERPs) have been assumed to increase with age, and to be roughly correlated with loss of cognitive functions. However, is P300 latency prolonged in all elderly subjects? To address this question, we selected 63 subjects from 60 to 91 years of age. Subjects were active, living at home, free from psychiatric or significant physical disorders, having high Mini-Mental State (MMS) score and low Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score, and showed no major signs of cerebral infarction on MRI (1.5T). ERPs were recorded with subjects engaged in auditory oddball tasks. We found no significant correlation between age and P300 component. Sex difference concerning P300 component with aging was also not detected. P300 latency prolongation and decreased visual retention (Benton test) were associated with lower MMS score, and visual retention was correlated with age. We conclude that P300 latency does not increase linearly with age in elderly subjects and that prolongation of latency is affected by subclinical organic changes in the brain than by aging itself.