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Reaction time as a diagnostic measure in senility
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|December 1, 1976
Summary
Disjunctive reaction time (RT) is a reliable indicator of age-related mental decline in the elderly. This cognitive measure accurately distinguished between normal and cognitively impaired individuals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Aging is associated with slower reaction times (RT), but changes in senility are understudied.
- Disjunctive RT, unlike simple RT, incorporates cognitive load beyond sensory-motor speed and attention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate disjunctive reaction time as a potential index of age-related cognitive decline.
- To compare simple and disjunctive RT performance in normal versus cognitively impaired elderly individuals.
Main Methods:
- Measured simple and disjunctive reaction times in matched groups of 20 normal and 20 cognitively impaired elderly subjects.
- Utilized discriminant function analysis to assess the predictive accuracy of disjunctive RT.
Main Results:
- Cognitively impaired elderly subjects exhibited significantly slower disjunctive RT compared to normal subjects.
- Disjunctive RT alone achieved 86% accuracy in distinguishing between normal and senile elderly.
- Simple RT differences were explained by disjunctive RT, but not vice versa.
Conclusions:
- Disjunctive reaction time serves as a reliable indicator of age-related mental decline.
- Slowing in disjunctive RT correlates with non-memory cognitive impairment and need for care.