Changes in the NoGo N2 Event-Related Potential Component Across Childhood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT

Research suggests that the NoGo N2 event-related potential component elicited in children during Go/NoGo and Continuous Performance tasks indexes response inhibition capacities. This meta-analysis examined what is known about the N2 component’s amplitude/latency values, developmental trajectory, and the differences between amplitudes in Go and NoGo trials. Sixty-five studies measuring the N2 in children ages 2-12 were meta-analyzed to estimate the N2’s average amplitude/latency at each age. Findings suggest that N2 amplitude/latency values decrease in magnitude across childhood, and NoGo N2 amplitudes were more negative than Go N2 amplitudes, supporting interpretations of this component as indexing response inhibition. Implications are discussed.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Dr. John Bates of Indiana University and Dr. Isaac Petersen of the University of Iowa for their substantial help and feedback during the preparation of this manuscript. I would also like to thank Dr. Dennis Molfese of the University of Nebraska for providing his guidance and expertise throughout this project.

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program under Grant No. 1342962. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Additional information

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program under Grant No. 1342962. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.