Research ReportP300 amplitude alterations during inhibitory control in persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment

- Persons with MCI perform less accurately than controls in a Go/NoGo task.
- Persons with MCI exhibit reduced P300 amplitudes than controls in a Go/NoGo task.
- Persons with MCI show deficits in neurophysiological inhibitory control mechanisms.

Deficits in executive function are highly noticeable in Alzheimer's disease, and recent behavioral studies have shown that such deficits - particularly during inhibitory control - can also be found in persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate behavioral and electrophysiological correlates of inhibitory control in persons with MCI. A group of persons with MCI and a group healthy older adults performed a Go/NoGo task while electroencephalogram was recorded. Our results revealed that persons with MCI performed less accurately than healthy controls during the Go and NoGo conditions. In addition, we found reduced P300 amplitudes during Go and NoGo conditions relative to healthy older adults. Our results suggest that neurocognitive mechanisms associated with target detection and evaluation (Go P300) and response inhibition (NoGo P300) are compromised in persons with MCI.