Changes in the NoGo N2 Event-Related Potential Component Across Childhood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Research suggests that the NoGo N2 event-related potential component elicited in children during Go/NoGo and Continuous Performance tasks indexes response inhibition capacities. This meta-analysis examined what is known about the N2 component's amplitude/latency values, developmental trajectory, and the differences between amplitudes in Go and NoGo trials. Sixty-five studies measuring the N2 in children ages 2-12 were meta-analyzed to estimate the N2's average amplitude/latency at each age. Findings suggest that N2 amplitude/latency values decrease in magnitude across childhood, and NoGo N2 amplitudes were more negative than Go N2 amplitudes, supporting interpretations of this component as indexing response inhibition. Implications are discussed.