Beschreibung
Diplomarbeit aus dem Jahr 2008 im Fachbereich Psychologie - Klinische Psychologie, Psychopathologie, Prävention, Note: 1,0, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Abstract Research on the effects of normal aging on electrophysiological components of speech processing, like the N400, is relatively rare. Existent studies show predominantly a decrease of N400 amplitude and an increase of N400s peak latency with age. This work should prove existent findings and give further evidence to the matter. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 23 subjects (ranging from 19 to 69 years) by using correct sentences and sentences with semantic anomalies. ERP measurements (mean amplitudes, peak latencies) were subjected to analysis of variance and linear regression analysis. In regression analysis and in analysis of variance the N400 did show a significant decrease of mean amplitude with age but no significant changes for N400s peak latency. So the present findings about the influence of normal aging on the N400 amplitude could be confirmed. Additionally there was clear evidence, that the N400 is localised over the left hemisphere across all age groups. We reason that aging doesnt affect the N400 in every case. Future research should examine which conditions support aging effects on the N400 and which do not.
