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An FMRI-Compatible Symbol Search Task

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 March 2015

Spencer W. Liebel Open the ORCID record for Spencer W. Liebel [Opens in a new window] ,
Uraina S. Clark ,
Xiaomeng Xu Open the ORCID record for Xiaomeng Xu [Opens in a new window] ,
Hannah H. Riskin-Jones ,
Brittany E. Hawkshead ,
Nicolette F. Schwarz ,
Donald Labbe ,
Beth A. Jerskey  and
Lawrence H. Sweet
Spencer W. Liebel*
Affiliation:
University of Georgia, Department of Psychology, Athens, Georgia
Uraina S. Clark
Affiliation:
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Neurology, New York, New York
Xiaomeng Xu
Affiliation:
Idaho State University, Department of Psychology, Pocatello, Idaho
Hannah H. Riskin-Jones
Affiliation:
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Department of Psychiatry, Providence, Rhode Island
Brittany E. Hawkshead
Affiliation:
University of Georgia, Department of Psychology, Athens, Georgia
Nicolette F. Schwarz
Affiliation:
University of Georgia, Department of Psychology, Athens, Georgia
Donald Labbe
Affiliation:
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Department of Psychiatry, Providence, Rhode Island
Beth A. Jerskey
Affiliation:
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Department of Psychiatry, Providence, Rhode Island
Lawrence H. Sweet
Affiliation:
University of Georgia, Department of Psychology, Athens, Georgia Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Department of Psychiatry, Providence, Rhode Island
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Spencer W. Liebel, 139 Psychology Building, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30606. E-mail: swliebel@uga.edu
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Abstract

Our objective was to determine whether a Symbol Search paradigm developed for functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) is a reliable and valid measure of cognitive processing speed (CPS) in healthy older adults. As all older adults are expected to experience cognitive declines due to aging, and CPS is one of the domains most affected by age, establishing a reliable and valid measure of CPS that can be administered inside an MR scanner may prove invaluable in future clinical and research settings. We evaluated the reliability and construct validity of a newly developed FMRI Symbol Search task by comparing participants’ performance in and outside of the scanner and to the widely used and standardized Symbol Search subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). A brief battery of neuropsychological measures was also administered to assess the convergent and discriminant validity of the FMRI Symbol Search task. The FMRI Symbol Search task demonstrated high test–retest reliability when compared to performance on the same task administered out of the scanner (r=.791; p<.001). The criterion validity of the new task was supported, as it exhibited a strong positive correlation with the WAIS Symbol Search (r=.717; p<.001). Predicted convergent and discriminant validity patterns of the FMRI Symbol Search task were also observed. The FMRI Symbol Search task is a reliable and valid measure of CPS in healthy older adults and exhibits expected sensitivity to the effects of age on CPS performance. (JINS, 2015, 22, 1–8)

Keywords

Cognitive processing speedAgingNeuropsychological assessmentCognitive declineConstruct validityReliability
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 21 , Issue 3 , March 2015 , pp. 231 - 238
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2015 

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