The relationship between cognitive control abilities and event-related potentials in middle-age and older adults

Abstract Cognitive control ability, especially reactive control and proactive control, holds a significance of our daily routines. The reactive control and proactive control abilities have been associated with ERPs, such as N2, P3b, and CNV. In addition, reactive control, proactive control, and ERPs can be modulated by aging decline. However, the relationship between aging effects, cognitive control ability, and ERPs is still unclear. The reason is that the level of physical fitness may be an additional (potentially confounding) variable in these three factors. To provide a comprehensive relationship between aging, reactive control and proactive control abilities, and neural responses, we mainly tested strength and direction of the linear relationship between cognitive performance in the AX-CPT task and neural responses by controlling fitness levels from middle-age (45–64 years) to older adults (older than 64 ages). We recruited 121 healthy adults and asked participant to perform AX-CPT test while we recorded ERPs. In addition, participants underwent the senior fitness test (SFT) to measure their physical fitness level. We mainly found that (1) higher age was correlated with slower RT in BX trials and greater amplitude in CNV at Pz electrode. (2) slower RT in BX trials were correlated with greater CNV amplitude at Pz. We suggest that aging mainly was correlated with paying more attention to maintain a sufficient level of proactive control ability, which was correlated with slower RT in proactive control trials. This study expands upon existing comparative research by emphasizing the intricate connections between aging, proactive control mechanisms, and neuroelectric markers.