Age-Related Differences in Response Time Across Adolescence Reflect Premotor, but Not Motor, Processing Speed
William Slawson1, Greg Hajcak2, Bob McMurray1
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Psychophysiology
|May 7, 2026
Summary
Processing speed in adolescents improves due to faster premotor processes, not motor processes. This study used electroencephalography (EEG) to analyze age-related changes in premotor and motor reaction time domains.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Developmental improvements in processing speed are often attributed to a single global factor.
- However, age-related effects may differ across premotor and motor processes, reflecting varied neurodevelopmental trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related differences in processing speed between premotor and motor domains during adolescence.
- To determine if domain-specific differences explain age-related variance in choice reaction time (RT).
Main Methods:
- Adolescents (N=204, ages 14-19) completed a flanker task with electroencephalography (EEG) recording.
- Lateralized readiness potential (LRP) latencies (stimulus-locked S-LRP and response-locked R-LRP) were used to differentiate premotor and motor intervals.
- Mediation analysis examined the relationship between age, LRP latencies, and RT.
Main Results:
- Both S-LRP and R-LRP latencies correlated with RT.
- Only S-LRP latency showed a significant decrease with age.
- Age indirectly influenced RT through S-LRP latency, but not R-LRP latency.
Conclusions:
- Faster processing speed in older adolescents is primarily driven by advancements in premotor processing.
- LRP latencies are valuable for studying domain-specific processing speed variations.
- Future research should integrate structural development with functional measures.
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