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Utility of Intraindividual Reaction Time Variability to Predict White Matter Hyperintensities: A Potential Assessment Tool for Clinical Contexts?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 August 2013

David Bunce ,
Allison A. M. Bielak ,
Nicolas Cherbuin ,
Philip J. Batterham ,
Wei Wen ,
Perminder Sachdev  and
Kaarin J. Anstey
David Bunce*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Allison A. M. Bielak
Affiliation:
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
Nicolas Cherbuin
Affiliation:
Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Philip J. Batterham
Affiliation:
Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Wei Wen
Affiliation:
Neuropsychiatric Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia Centre for Health Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Perminder Sachdev
Affiliation:
Neuropsychiatric Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia Centre for Health Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Kaarin J. Anstey
Affiliation:
Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: David Bunce, Institute of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK. E-mail: d.bunce@leeds.ac.uk
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Abstract

Intraindividual variability (IIV) refers to reaction time (RT) variation across the trials of a given cognitive task. Little research has contrasted different measures of IIV or assessed how many RT trials are required to provide a robust measure of the construct. We, therefore, investigated three measures of IIV (raw SD, coefficient of variation, and intraindividual SD statistically removing time-on-task effects) in relation to frontal white matter hyperintensities (obtained through structural MRI) in 415 cognitively normal community-dwelling adults aged 44 to 48 years. Results indicated the three IIV measures did not differ greatly in predictions of white matter hyperintensities, although it is possible that time-on-task effects were influential. As few as 20 trials taking approximately 52 s to administer provided a reliable prediction of frontal white matter hyperintensities. We conclude that future work should evaluate the comparative utility of different IIV measures in relation to persons exhibiting clear neuropathology. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–6)

Keywords

AgeWithin-person variabilityWhite matter hyperintensitiesFrontal cortex lesionsNeuropsychological assessmentReaction timeCognition
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 19 , Issue 9 , October 2013 , pp. 971 - 976
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2013 

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