Aging differentially affects alpha and beta sensorimotor rhythms in a go/nogo task

Objectives: This study compared sensorimotor alpha and beta brain oscillations in young and older adults, to examine their functional distinctness and susceptibility to aging. Methods: Electroencephalographic data were compared between young (age 23 +/- 3) and older adults (age 64 +/- 7) in terms of event-related spectral perturbation in alpha and beta bands during a go/nogo task. Results: Age selectively influenced beta rhythms, with younger compared to older adults showing, first, less attenuation during movement preparation and execution, and, second, a greater rebound after movement end. Alpha rhythms differed after response inhibition, with an additional alpha rebound occurring in older, but not younger adults. Conclusion: The results indicate neural over-recruitment in healthy aging, which appears most likely linked to alterations in multiple factors associated with sensory and cognitive aspects of motor control, and which does not consistently or directly impact response speed. Significance: The results imply that sensorimotor alpha and beta rhythms may reflect different neural trajectories in aging. (C) 2016 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.