Download PDF
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2016; 74(04): 299-302
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X20160025
ARTICLE

Time perception and age

Percepção do tempo e idade
Vanessa Fernanda Moreira Ferreira
Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto(FAMERP),Departamento de Ciências Neurológicas,São José do Rio PretoSP,Brazil.
,
Gabriel Pina Paiva
Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto(FAMERP),Departamento de Ciências Neurológicas,São José do Rio PretoSP,Brazil.
,
Natália Prando
Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto(FAMERP),Departamento de Ciências Neurológicas,São José do Rio PretoSP,Brazil.
,
Carla Renata Graça
Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto(FAMERP),Departamento de Ciências Neurológicas,São José do Rio PretoSP,Brazil.
,
João Aris Kouyoumdjian
Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto(FAMERP),Departamento de Ciências Neurológicas,São José do Rio PretoSP,Brazil.
› Author Affiliations
› Further Information
Also available at
   Permissions and Reprints

ABSTRACT

Our internal clock system is predominantly dopaminergic, but memory is predominantly cholinergic. Here, we examined the common sensibility encapsulated in the statement: “time goes faster as we get older”.

Objective To measure a 2 min time interval, counted mentally in subjects of different age groups.

Method 233 healthy subjects (129 women) were divided into three age groups: G1, 15-29 years; G2, 30-49 years; and G3, 50-89 years. Subjects were asked to close their eyes and mentally count the passing of 120 s.

Results The elapsed times were: G1, mean = 114.9 ± 35 s; G2, mean = 96.0 ± 34.3 s; G3, mean = 86.6 ± 34.9 s. The ANOVA-Bonferroni multiple comparison test showed that G3 and G1 results were significantly different (P < 0.001).

Conclusion Mental calculations of 120 s were shortened by an average of 24.6% (28.3 s) in individuals over age 50 years compared to individuals under age 30 years.

RESUMO

Nosso sistema de relógio interno é predominantemente dopaminérgico, mas a memória é predominantemente colinérgica. Neste estudo, examinamos a assertiva comum que “o tempo passa mais rápido para pessoas mais velhas”.

Objetivo Medir o intervalo de tempo 2 min contados mentalmente em pessoas de diferentes faixas etárias.

Método 233 pessoas saudáveis (129 mulheres) foram divididos em três grupos: G1, 15-29 anos; G2, 30-49 anos; e G3, 50-89 anos. Foi solicitado que contassem mentalmente, com os olhos fechados, a passagem de 120 s.

Resultados Os tempos aferidos foram: G1, média = 114,9 ± 35 s; G2, média = 96,0 ± 34,3 s; G3, média = 86,6 ± 34,9 s. A comparação entre os tempos de G3 e G1 (teste de comparação múltipla ANOVA-Bonferroni) foi muito significante (P < 0,001).

Conclusão Cálculo mental de 120 s foi encurtado em média 24,6% (28,3 s) em pessoas maiores que 50 anos quando comparado com pessoas menores que 30 anos.

time perception - age - timing - aging
percepção de tempo - idade - tempo - envelhecimento


Publication History

Received: 07 October 2015

Accepted: 29 December 2015

Article published online:
06 September 2023

© 2023. Academia Brasileira de Neurologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda.
Rua do Matoso 170, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 20270-135, Brazil

 

  • References

  • 1 Rao SM, Mayer AR, Harrington DL. The evolution of brain activation during temporal processing. Nat Neurosci. 2001;4(3):317-23. doi:10.1038/85191
  • 2 Coull JT, Cheng RK, Meck WH. Neuroanatomical and neurochemical substrates of Timing. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2011;36(1):3-25. doi:10.1038/npp.2010.113
  • 3 Wassenhove V, Wittmann M, Craig AD, Paulus MP. Psychological and neural mechanisms of subjective time dilation. Front Neurosci. 2011;5:56. doi:10.3389/fnins.2011.00056
  • 4 Stetson C, Fiesta MP, Eagleman DM. Does time really slow down during a frightening event? PLoS One. 2007;2(12):e1295. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001295
  • 5 Durstewitz D. Neural representation of interval time. Neuroreport. 2004;15(5):745-9. doi:10.1097/00001756-200404090-00001
  • 6 Matell MS, Meck WH. Cortico-striatal circuits and interval timing: coincidence detection of oscillatory processes. Cognitive Brain Res. 2004;21(2):139-70. doi:10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2004.06.012
  • 7 Karmarkar UR, Buonomano DV. Telling time in the absence of clocks: encoding time in neural network. Neuron. 2007;53(3):427-38. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2007.01.006
  • 8 Popova M. Why time slows down when we’re afraid, speeds up as we age, and gets warped on vacation. [cited 2014 October 30]. Available from: http://www.brainpickings.org/2013/07/15/time-warped-claudia-hammond/
  • 9 Meck WH. Neuropharmacology of timing and time perception. Cogn Brain Res. 1996;3(3-4):227-42. doi:10.1016/0926-6410(96)00009-2
  • 10 Dreher JC, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Kohn P, Berman KF. Age-related changes in midbrain dopaminergic regulation of the human reward system. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2008;105(39):15106-11. doi:10.1073/pnas.0802127105
  • 11 Friedman RA. Fast time and the aging mind. New York Times. 2013 Jul 20. Sunday Review.
  • 12 Bäckman L, Nyberg L, Lindenberger U, Li SC, Farde L. The correlative triad among aging, dopamine, and cognition: current status and future prospects. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2006;30(6):791-807. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2006.06.005
  • 13 Hammond C. Time warped: unlocking the mysteries of time perception. Digital ed. Great Britain: Canongate Books; 2012.
  • 14 Adler R. Look how time flies… New Scientist. 1999 Dec 15. Conference report.
  • 15 Levy F, Swanson JM. Timing, space and ADHD: the dopamine theory revisited. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2001;35(4):504-11. doi:10.1046/j.1440-1614.2001.00923.x
  • 16 Smith A, Taylor E, Rogers JW, Newman S, Rubia K. Evidence for a pure time perception deficit in children with ADHD. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2002;43(4):529-42. doi:10.1111/1469-7610.00043
  • 17 Gil S, Droit-Volet S. Time perception, depression and sadness. Behav. Processes 2009;80(2):169-76. doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2008.11.012
  • 18 Kolb B, Mychasiuk R, Muhammad A, Li Y, Frost DO, Gibb R. Experience and the developing prefrontal cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2012;109 (Suppl 2):17186-93. doi:10.1073/pnas.1121251109
  • 19 Droit-Volet S, Fayolle SL, Gil S. Emotion and time perception: effects of film-induced mood. Front Integr Neurosci. 2011;5:33. doi:10.1073/pnas.1121251109
  • 20 Rudd M, Vohs KD, Aaker J. Awe expands people’s perception of time, alters decision making, and enhances well-being. Psychol Sci. 2012;23(10):1130-6. doi:10.1177/0956797612438731