Reliability of a Visual-Cognitive Technology in Measuring Reaction Times: Associations with Age, Activity Level, and...

The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of a visual-cognitive system for measuring simple, serial, and choice reaction times, and examined their associations with age, physical activity, and grip strength.

Ninety participants were divided into 3 age groups (18-34, 35-64, and 65+ years). Reaction times were assessed using a commercially available visual-cognitive training platform. Grip strength was measured with a hand dynamometer, and activity level was evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF).

Choice reaction times differed significantly by age, with younger adults responding faster than older adults (P < .05). Simple and serial reaction times were also shortest in the youngest group. Significant associations were found between reaction times, age, and activity level (P < .05), with no significant differences by sex (P > .05). Intra-rater reliability was highest for simple reaction time (ICC = 0.70-0.80), followed by choice (ICC = 0.66-0.76) and serial (ICC = 0.62-0.73). Between-day reliability was good for simple (ICC = 0.81) and serial (ICC = 0.76) reaction times, and moderate for choice (ICC = 0.63). Inter-rater reliability was good across all measures (ICCs ≥ 0.70).

Choice reaction time appears to be particularly sensitive to age-related differences. Higher activity levels and greater grip strength are associated with faster responses. The tested visual-cognitive technology demonstrated acceptable reliability for assessing performance-related reaction times.