| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 924174 | Brain and Cognition | 2011 | 8 Pages |
Pseudoneglect is a slight but consistent leftward attentional bias commonly observed in healthy young populations, purportedly explained by right hemispheric dominance. It has been suggested that normal aging might be associated with a decline of the right hemisphere. According to this hypothesis, a few studies have shown that elderly tend to exhibit a rightward attentional bias in line bisection. In the present study, we tested this hypothesis in young and older participants using a perceptual landmark task. Results yield evidence for an age-related shift, from a strong attentional leftward bias in young adults toward a suppressed or even a reversed bias in the elderly. Right hemisphere impairment coupled to a left hemispheric compensation might explain the perceptual shift observed in older adults. However, a decline in corpus callosum function cannot be excluded. Alternatively, these results may be in agreement with the hypothesis of an age-related specific inhibition of return dysfunction, an overt attentional orienting mechanism, and/or a decrease of dopamine.
► A leftward attentional bias is present in young healthy subjects. ► We examined this bias in aging using a perceptual landmark task. ► At variance with young, elder participants exhibited a rightward attentional bias. ► Hemispheric and/or attentional and/or dopamine impairment are possible explanations.
