Age-related increases in reaction time result from slower preparation, not delayed initiation
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Abstract
Previous research argues that older adults have slower response times because they hesitate to react, favoring accuracy over speed. The present results challenge this proposal. We found the delay between the minimum time required to prepare movements and the self-selected time at which they initiated remained consistent at ∼90 ms from ages 21 to 80. We therefore suggest older adults’ slower response times can be attributed to changes in their ability to process stimuli and prepare movements.
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Response preparation and response expression are separable.
“recent studies further suggest that response preparation and response expression are separable29–32.”
From Delayed goal-directed processing underlies inhibitory control challenges in adult ADHD (2026) · cites this paper as [29]
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Delayed goal-directed processing underlies inhibitory control challenges in adult ADHD
Osborne, J. B., Sellers, J., Zhang, H., Wang, S., Liberatore, S., Sripada, C., Shah, P., & Jonides, J. (2026) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-026-42307-3 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
- Authors
- Hardwick, R. M., Forrence, A. D., Costello, M. G., Zackowski, K., & Haith, A. M.
- Affiliations
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Kennedy Krieger Institute (US)
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
- Corresponding author
- Hardwick, Robert M.
- Venue
- Journal of Neurophysiology
- Publisher
- American Physiological Society
- Published
- 2022-09-01
- Volume
- 128
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 582-592
- ISSN
- 0022-3077 (ISSN-L)
- 1522-1598
- PMC
- PMC9423772
- OpenAlex
- W4285394735
- Cited by
- 66
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 24 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 3
- FWCI
- 5.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc
- Locations
- Journal of Neurophysiology (publishedVersion)
- bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Digital Access to Libraries (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation (1358756)
- Université Catholique de Louvain
- European Commission (HORIZON2020, 702784)
- Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds UGent
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
- Keywords
- aging, reaction time, older adults, motor preparation, response initiation, stimulus processing, age-related slowing
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Brain, Cognition, Humans, Middle Aged, Movement, Reaction Time, Young Adult
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