The EMG activation was not different from zero in the SC condition in middle age group. Mean EMG amplitude between 280 and 300 msec was entered into a group (3) × congruency (3) ANOVA. In this early time window there were no significant congruency effects [F(2,102) = 1.664, p = .1943] or interactions [F(4,102) = .3713, p = .8286] but a group effect approached significance [F(2,51) = 2.48, p = .093]. Mean EMG amplitude between 460 and 480 msec was entered into a group (3) × congruency (3) ANOVA. In the mean amplitude of the 460–480 msec time interval there was a congruency effect [F(2,102) = 7.24, ɛ = .769, p = .0031]. Post hoc Tukey

contrasts on the incorrect hand mean amplitude revealed that the congruent condition had significantly less amplitude than the RC condition (p = .0011, learn more .045 vs .07 μV) and SC had significantly less amplitude than RC (p = .0011, .04 vs .07 μV). However there was no difference between congruent and SC in incorrect hand activation. Additionally there was a group × congruency interaction [F(4,102) = 3.06, ɛ = .769, p = .0317]. Tukey post hoc tests showed that in the adolescent group the amplitude in the RC condition (.120 μV) was significantly larger ICG-001 than the congruent (.06 μV, p = .0198) and SC (.05 μV, p = .0198) conditions. There was no similar difference in the adult and middle

age groups. There was no main effect of group [F(2,51) = 1.014, p = .3698]. Overall in terms of correct hand activity there were no significant group differences however in terms of incorrect hand activity, at the time point between 460 and 480 msec, the adolescent group showed significantly increased incorrect hand activity during the RC condition. This

is in line with our prediction of response level change during adolescence. Following Craik and Bialystoke’s (2006) call to identify the specific nature of age-related change here we systematically tracked neuro-cognitive asymmetries in stimulus and response conflict Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase processing throughout the lifespan within the framework of a single study. We measured ERPs, the LRP, and EMG in an adaptation of the colour word Stroop task that a priori separates stimulus and response level conflict. Behavioural effects, in terms of RT and accuracy, revealed that the congruency manipulations were successful. The RC manipulation yielded the slowest RTs. This replicates previous studies (Houwer, 2003 and Melcher and Gruber, 2009). However, unexpectedly there were no differences between groups in terms of the congruency effects. We predicted that adolescents would be more susceptible to response conflict whereas middle age adults would be sensitive to stimulus conflict however no differences were found behaviourally. At the neural level we found age-related and developmental asymmetries in stimulus and response stages of processing.