Psychophysiological Techniques in the Study of the Aged

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Abstract
This chapter provides information on an experiment that aims to observe differences in central nervous system reactivity levels between young and old subjects and to explore interrelations between central nervous system reactivity and perceptual responses. It should be noted that the level of stimuli was high enough for sleeping to have been unlikely and that no subject did fall asleep during the experiment. In this experiment aged subjects who were above average in intelligence and in health were used; consequently, these findings should be generalized; within groups, however, they were very consistent. Likewise, Menzies' work on vasomotor conditioning was assumed true until, with better instrumentation and controls, Harwood and others found that vasomotor conditioning was a result of warm and cold stimulation of bilateral vasomotor reflexes in the hands. The data strongly suggested that sympathetic adrenal responsivity, as measured by the urinary levels of catechol amines, diminished in the aged subjects, particularly those with a clinical diagnosis of senile dementia.

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