Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-12T22:18:51.175Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The sensitivity of dual-task performance to cognitive status in aging

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2004

ROEE HOLTZER ,
RICHARD G. BURRIGHT  and
PETER J. DONOVICK
ROEE HOLTZER
Affiliation:
Cognitive Neuroscience Division of the Taub Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY
RICHARD G. BURRIGHT
Affiliation:
Environmental Neuropsychology Laboratory, State University of New York at Binghamton
PETER J. DONOVICK
Affiliation:
Environmental Neuropsychology Laboratory, State University of New York at Binghamton
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The present study examined dual-task performance in elders with cognitive impairments and normal controls. The participants (N = 60; M age = 84.6) were recruited from residential facilities and the community. They were assigned to one of three groups: (1) cognitive impairment; (2) residential facility control; (3) community control. Two different dual-task conditions were comprised of simple tests that are presumably processed via separate perceptual modalities: 1 visual–manual and 1 auditory–verbal. The first condition consisted of a visual cancellation test and an auditory digit span. The second condition was comprised of an alternate form of the visual cancellation test and letter fluency. MANOVA examined the effect of cognitive status (3-level independent variable) on 3 indices of dual-task performance (letter fluency, digit span, visual cancellation). Analyses controlled for age, education and performance on each test when performed alone. The results revealed that the cognitive impairment group incurred significantly greater dual-task costs compared to both control groups. Furthermore, as was evident from discriminant function analyses, the dual-task measures were very accurate and better than the traditional neuropsychological measures at discriminating elders with cognitive impairments from normal controls. (JINS, 2004, 10, 230–238.)

Keywords

Dual-taskAgingCognitive impairment
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , March 2004 , pp. 230 - 238
Copyright
© 2004 The International Neuropsychological Society

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Baddeley, A. (2001). Is working memory still working? American Psychologist, 851–864.Google Scholar
Baddeley, A.D., Baddeley, H.A., Buck, R.S., & Wilcock, G.K. (2001). Attentional control in Alzheimer's disease. Brain, 124, 1492–1508.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baddeley, A.D., Logie, R., Bressi, S., Della Salla, S., & Spinnler, H. (1986). Dementia and working memory. Quarterly Journal Experimental Psychology, 38A, 603–618.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baddeley, A.D., Logie, R., Bressi, S., Della Salla, S., & Spinnler, H. (1991). The decline of working memory in Alzheimer's disease. Brain, 114, 2521–2542.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baddeley, A.D. & Hitch, G. (1974). Working memory. In G.H. Bower (Ed.), The psychology of learning and motivation (Vol. 8, pp. 47–89). New York: Academic Press.
Crossley, M. & Hiscock, M. (1992). Age-related differences in concurrent task performance of normal adults: Evidence for a decline in processing resources. Psychology and Aging, 7, 499–506.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Durate Silva, P. & Stam, A. (1996). Discriminant analysis. In L.G. Grimm & P.R. Yarold (Eds.), Reading and understanding multivariate statistics (pp. 277–318). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Glass, J.M., Shumacher, E.H., Lauber, E.J., Zurbriggen, E.L., Gmeinkl, L., Kieras, D.E., & Meyer, D.E. (2000). Aging and the psychological refractory period: Task coordination strategies in young and old adults. Psychology and Aging, 15, 571–595.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guttentag, R. (1989). Age differences in dual-task performance: Procedures, assumptions and results. Developmental Review, 9, 146–170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hartley, A.A. (1992). Attention. In F.I.M. Craik & T.A. Salthouse (Eds.), Handbook of aging and cognition (pp. 1–49). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Hartley, A.A. (2001). Age differences in dual-task interference are localized to response-generation processes. Psychology and Aging, 16, 47–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hartley, A.A. & Little, D.M. (1999). Age related differences and similarities in dual-task interference. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 128, 41–449.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heaton, R.K., Ryan, L., Grant, I., & Matthews, C.G. (1996). Demographic influence on neuropsychological test performance. In I. Grant & K.M. Adams (Eds.), Neuropsychological assessment of neuropsychiatric disorders (pp. 141–163). New York: Oxford University Press.
King, D.A. & Caine, E.D. (1996). Cognitive impairments and major depression: Beyond the pseudodementia syndrome. In I. Grant & K.M. Adams (Eds.), Neuropsychological assessment of neuropsychiatric disorders (pp. 200–217). New York: Oxford University Press.
Lamberty, G.J. & Bieliauskas, L.A. (1993). Distinguishing between depression and dementia in the elderly: A review of neuropsychological findings. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 8, 149–170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lezak, M.D. (1995). Neuropsychological assessment (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
Li, K.Z.H., Lindenberger, U., Freund, A.M., & Baltes, P.B. (2001). Walking while memorizing: Age-related differences in compensatory behavior. Psychological Science, 12, 230–237.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mattis, S. (1988). Dementia Rating Scale. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
McDowd, J.M. & Shaw, R.J. (2000). Attention. In F.I.M. Craik & T.A. Salthouse (Eds.), Handbook of aging and cognition (2nd ed., pp. 221–292). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
McKhann, G., Drachamn, D., Folstein, M., Kazman, R., Price, D., & Stadlan, E.M. (1984). Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer Disease: Report of the NINCDS-ADRDA work group under the auspices of the Department of Health and Human Services Task Force on Alzheimer Disease. Neurology, 34, 939–944.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nyberg, L., Nilsson, L.G., Olofsson, U., & Backman, L. (1997). Effects of division of attention during encoding and retrieval on age differences in episodic memory. Experimental Aging Research, 23, 137–143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salthouse, T.A. & Miles, J.D. (2002). Aging and time sharing aspects of executive control. Memory and Cognition, 30, 572–582.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salthouse, T.A., Rogan, J.D., & Perill, K.A. (1984). Division and attention: Age differences on a visually presented memory task. Memory and Cognition, 12, 613–620.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Somberg, B.L. & Salthouse, T.A. (1982). Divided attention abilities in young and old adults. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 8, 651–663.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spitzer, R.L., Edicott, J., & Robins, E. (1978). Research diagnostic criteria: Rational and reliability. Archives of General Psychiatry, 35, 773–782.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spreen, O. & Strauss, E. (1998). A compendium of neuropsychological tests. New York: Oxford University Press.
Stuss, D.T. (1992). Biological and psychological development of executive functions. Brain and Cognition, 20, 8–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stuss, D.T. & Alexander, M.P. (2000). Executive functions and the frontal lobes: A conceptual view. Psychological Research, 63, 289–298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stuss, D.T. & Levine, B. (2002). Adult clinical neuropsychology: Lessons from studies of the frontal lobes. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 401–433.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tun, P.A. & Wingfield, A. (1994). Speech recall under heavy load conditions: Age, predictability and limits on dual-task interference. Aging and Cognition, 1, 029–044.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wechsler, D. (1997). Wechsler Adult Intelligence Test, Third Edition. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
Whiting, W.L. & Smith, A.D. (1997). Differential age-related processing limitations in recall and recognition tasks. Psychology and Aging, 12, 216–224CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wickens, C.D., Braune, R., & Stokes, A. (1987). Age differences in the speed and capacity of information processing: 1. A dual-task approach. Psychology and Aging, 2, 70–78.Google Scholar
Yesavage, J.A., Brink, T.L., Rose, T.L., & Leirer, V.O. (1983). Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: A preliminary report. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 17, 37–49.Google Scholar