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Spontaneous alpha oscillations and low-frequency activities are related to complementary aspects of cognitive control in younger and older adults

View ORCID ProfileGrace M. Clements, Daniel C. Bowie, View ORCID ProfileKathy A. Low, View ORCID ProfileMonica Fabiani, View ORCID ProfileGabriele Gratton
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.09.033811
Grace M. Clements
1Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61801, USA
2Psychology Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
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  • ORCID record for Grace M. Clements
Daniel C. Bowie
1Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61801, USA
2Psychology Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
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Kathy A. Low
1Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61801, USA
2Psychology Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
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Monica Fabiani
1Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61801, USA
2Psychology Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
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Gabriele Gratton
1Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61801, USA
2Psychology Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
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  • For correspondence: grattong@illinois.edu
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Abstract

Resting-state EEG is dominated by sustained alpha oscillations, and low-frequency activities (short theta bursts and non-oscillatory 1/f slope). Resting alpha power decreases with age and correlates with intelligence. We propose that alpha facilitates proactive control (requiring task-set maintenance in preparation for expected conditions), whereas theta bursts relate to reactive control, requiring task-set updating in response to unexpected demands. Less is known about 1/f slope. To investigate these relationships, we recorded eyes-open and eyes-closed resting EEG from younger and older adults and subsequently tested their performance on a cued flanker task, expected to elicit proactive and reactive control processes. Alpha power and 1/f slope were smaller in older adults, whereas theta power did not show age-related reductions. Resting alpha power and 1/f slope predicted proactive control performance, whereas theta predicted reactive control. Resting theta may indicate greater sensitivity to distraction, reflected in frequent spontaneous updating operations. All predictive associations were present beyond the effect of age, suggesting that these EEG correlates may serve as biomarkers of individual differences in cognitive control.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Footnotes

  • Statement of conflicting interests: None of the authors of this article has any financial or other conflicts of interest regarding this work.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Posted April 10, 2020.
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Spontaneous alpha oscillations and low-frequency activities are related to complementary aspects of cognitive control in younger and older adults
Grace M. Clements, Daniel C. Bowie, Kathy A. Low, Monica Fabiani, Gabriele Gratton
bioRxiv 2020.04.09.033811; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.09.033811
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Spontaneous alpha oscillations and low-frequency activities are related to complementary aspects of cognitive control in younger and older adults
Grace M. Clements, Daniel C. Bowie, Kathy A. Low, Monica Fabiani, Gabriele Gratton
bioRxiv 2020.04.09.033811; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.09.033811

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