A comparison of the emitted late positive potential in older and young adults

An emitted potential paradigm was used to investigate P3 scalp potentials in a group of older individuals (M = 66.8 years) and a group of younger persons (M = 22.0 years). Since no physical stimulus is necessary to elicit an emitted potential, an age comparison of P3 can be made which does not depend on normal sensory transmission channels. Both traditional and latency corrected averages to missing auditory clicks were analyzed from electrodes placed over midline frontal, central, and parietal locations. Results indicated that while the scalp distribution of emitted potentials was similar for both age groups, amplitudes at Pz and Cz were significantly smaller in the older group. Latency corrected potentials indicated similar trends but did not reach significant levels. No group differences were seen for N2 or P3 latencies for either traditional or corrected averages. The findings support age differences in the amplitudes of the P3 component and suggest that when P3 is not synchronized with a sensory event, latencies in this component may not be sensitive to age differences.