Event related brain potentials to semantically incongruent words in children of different ages.

In this study, developmental changes of N400 elicited by a simple paradigm to semantic incongruity were examined. Subjects were divided in three different age groups and educational levels: Group I (first grade) = 7-8 years, n = 10; Group II (third grade) = 9-10 years, n = 10; and Group III (sixth grade) = 11-12 years, n = 10. EEG activity was recorded from 8 monopolar sites referred to linked earlobes. Data showed that the amplitude of the N400 like component did not change significantly from first to sixth grade, although the onset latency appeared to be shorter in older children. No significant latency and amplitude changes were found among groups.