Age- and gender-related differences in verbal semantic processing: the development of normative electrophysiological data in the Flemish population

Categorical and associative relationships among words are two key forms of semantic knowledge. In this study, we examined ageing and gender effects on the processing of both types of semantic relationships by using the event-related potential technique. Moreover, we aimed to develop normative electrophysiological data for clinical purposes. One hundred and ten healthy subjects were divided among three age groups and subjected to two auditory word priming paradigms. Early auditory processing was influenced by increasing age as shown by larger P1 amplitudes and by delayed onsets of the N1 and P2. Conversely, ageing effects on the main N400 effect were limited to an increased right hemispheric lateralisation pattern for associative relationships. Gender effects could be demonstrated, with women showing larger P2 amplitudes and larger semantic priming effects in comparison to men. The interpretation of these findings is discussed and the practical utility of the obtained normative data is emphasised.

词汇间的范畴性关系与联想性关系是语义知识的两种核心形式。本研究采用事件相关电位（event-related potential）技术，考察了年龄与性别对两类语义关系加工的影响。此外，本研究旨在为临床应用构建标准化电生理数据。本研究招募110名健康被试，将其划分为三个年龄组别，并采用两种听觉词汇启动范式开展实验。结果显示，随着年龄增长，早期听觉加工受到显著影响：P1波幅增大，N1与P2成分的潜伏期延迟。与之相反，年龄对核心N400效应的影响仅局限于联想性关系的右侧半球偏侧化模式增强。性别效应同样得以证实：相较于男性，女性被试的P2波幅更大，语义启动效应也更为显著。本文对上述研究发现进行了解读，并强调了所获标准化数据的实际应用价值。