Probing the limits of alpha power lateralisation as a neural marker of selective attention in middle‐aged and older listeners. (28th February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tune, Sarah; Wöstmann, Malte; Obleser, Jonas
• Other Names: Mazaheri Ali guestEditor.; Slagter Heleen guestEditor.; Thut Gregor guestEditor.; Foxe John J. guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: European journal of neuroscience. Volume 48:Number 7(2018)
• Page Start: 2537
• Page End: 2550
• Publication Date: 2018-02-28
• Subjects: alpha oscillations -- EEG -- spatial attention -- speech processing; Nervous system -- Periodicals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13862
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-816X

Abstract

Abstract: In recent years, hemispheric lateralisation of alpha power has emerged as a neural mechanism thought to underpin spatial attention across sensory modalities. Yet, how healthy ageing, beginning in middle adulthood, impacts the modulation of lateralised alpha power supporting auditory attention remains poorly understood. In the current electroencephalography study, middle‐aged and older adults ( N = 29; ~40–70 years) performed a dichotic listening task that simulates a challenging, multitalker scenario. We examined the extent to which the modulation of 8–12 Hz alpha power would serve as neural marker of listening success across age. With respect to the increase in interindividual variability with age, we examined an extensive battery of behavioural, perceptual and neural measures. Similar to findings on younger adults, middle‐aged and older listeners' auditory spatial attention induced robust lateralisation of alpha power, which synchronised with the speech rate. Notably, the observed relationship between this alpha lateralisation and task performance did not co‐vary with age. Instead, task performance was strongly related to an individual's attentional and working memory capacity. Multivariate analyses revealed a separation of neural and behavioural variables independent of age. Our results suggest that in age‐varying samples as the present one, the lateralisation of alpha power is neither a sufficient nor necessary neural strategy for an individual's auditory spatial attention, as higher age might come with increased use of alternative, compensatory mechanisms. Our findings emphasise that explaining interindividual variability will be key to understanding the role of alpha oscillations in auditory attention in the ageing listener. Abstract : Using a dichotic listening task, we examined the extent to which modulation of 8–12 Hz alpha power serves as a neural marker of listening success across age. Middle‐aged and older listeners' auditory spatial attention induced robust lateralization of alpha power synchronized to the speech rate. However, the observed relationship of alpha lateralization and task performance did not co‐vary with age, thus questioning the importance of this neural strategy for selective attention across age.