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Reaction time deficits and Parkinson's disease
J Gauntlett-Gilbert1, V J Brown
1School of Psychology, University of St. Andrews, UK.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|November 11, 1998
Summary
Parkinson's disease consistently impairs simple reaction time. However, deficits in motor preprogramming are not evident, and medication effects on reaction time depend on study design.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Movement Disorders
- Cognitive Neurology
Background:
- The existence and characteristics of reaction time (RT) deficits in Parkinson's disease (PD) remain debated.
- Research has explored motor preprogramming, medication effects, and simple RT in PD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize evidence regarding RT deficits in Parkinson's disease.
- To clarify the impact of motor preprogramming, medication, and task design on PD-related RT changes.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of existing literature on reaction time in Parkinson's disease.
- Analysis of studies investigating motor preprogramming, medication effects, and simple vs. choice reaction times.
- Quantitative assessment of factors influencing the presence of RT deficits.
Main Results:
- No evidence supports a motor preprogramming deficit in Parkinson's disease.
- Reaction time deficits after medication withdrawal are contingent on experimental design.
- A consistent simple reaction time deficit is observed in Parkinson's disease.
- The likelihood of observing a choice reaction time deficit correlates with control group performance speed.
Conclusions:
- Parkinson's disease is associated with a reliable deficit in simple reaction time.
- Choice reaction time deficits may be influenced by task difficulty and control group performance, necessitating careful interpretation.
- Future research should consider control group performance when analyzing choice reaction time data in Parkinson's disease.