Age and inter-stimulus interval effects on event-related potentials to frequent and infrequent auditory stimuli

The aim of this study was to investigate aging effects on non-attended changes of auditory stimulation, by using psychophysiological methods. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded to frequent (standard; 950 Hz, p = 0.9) and infrequent (deviant; 1045 Hz, p = 0.1) auditory stimuli in older (mean age = 60.8 years) and younger (mean age = 21.3 years) subjects. In various blocks the inter-stimulus interval (ISI) was either 800, 2400 or 7200 ms. During the experimental sessions the subjects read books, and ignored the auditory stimuli. As a function of ISI, the amplitude of the N1 and the amplitude and latency of the P2 increased. The P2 amplitude was larger in the younger group. In the 120-180 ms latency range the deviant stimuli elicited more negative ERPs (mismatch negativity, MMN) than the standard stimuli. The amplitude of the MMN did not change as a function of ISI. MMN was larger in the younger group. Thus the younger subjects were more sensitive to the deviant stimuli. In the younger group, at the two shorter ISIs, the MMN was followed by a positive wave (P3a). The emergence of this component is an indication of the increased activity of the orienting system in the younger subjects, in comparison to the older age group.