J. Cogn. Neurosci.
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(Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 2005;17:37-50.)
© 2005 The MIT Press

Effects of Aging on Arithmetic Problem-Solving: An Event-related Brain Potential Study

Radouane El Yagoubi

Université de Provence and CNRS, France

Patrick Lemaire

Université de Provence, CNRS, and Institut Universitaire de France

Mireille Besson

Institut des Neurosciences Cognitives de la Méditerranée, France

Younger and older participants were asked to indicate if 240 complex two-digit addition problems were smaller than 100 or not. Half of the problems were small-split problems (i.e., the proposed sums were 2% or 5% away from 100; e.g., 53 + 49) and half were large-split problems (i.e., proposed sums were 10% or 15% away from 100; 46 + 39). Behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) data revealed that (a) both groups showed a split effect on both reaction times and percent errors, (b) split effects were smaller for older than for younger adults in ERPs, and (c) the hemispheric asymmetry (left hemisphere advantage) reported for younger adults was reduced in older adults (age-related hemispheric asymmetry reduction). These results suggest that older adults tend to use only one strategy to solve all problems, whereas younger adults flexibly and adaptively use different strategies for small- and large-split problems. Implications of these findings for our understanding of age-related similarities and differences in arithmetic problem-solving are discussed.


Key Words: Aging • split effects • strategy choices • flexible • ERP • cognitive arithmetic






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