Hostname: page-component-6bf8c574d5-86b6f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-03-07T12:03:06.307Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Associations Between Reaction Time Intraindividual Variability and Age-Related Cognitive Decline or Impairment, Dementia, and Mortality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2017

Becky I. Haynes Open the ORCID record for Becky I. Haynes [Opens in a new window] ,
Sarah Bauermeister  and
David Bunce
Becky I. Haynes
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
Sarah Bauermeister
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
David Bunce*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: David Bunce, School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives: Intraindividual variability (IIV) in reaction time refers to the trial-to-trial fluctuations in responding across a given cognitive task. Cross-sectional research suggests that IIV increases with normal and neuropathological ageing and it may serve as a marker of neurobiological integrity. This raises the possibility that IIV may also predict future cognitive decline and, indeed, neuropathology. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review to address these issues. Methods: A search of electronic databases Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, and Web of Science was completed on May 17, 2016 that identified longitudinal investigations of IIV in middle-aged or older adults. Results: A total of 688 studies were initially identified of which 22 met the inclusion criteria. Nine included longitudinal IIV measures and 17 predicted subsequent outcome (cognitive decline or impairment, dementia, mortality) from baseline IIV. The results suggested IIV increased over time, particularly in participants aged over 75 years. Greater baseline IIV was consistently associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes including cognitive decline or impairment, and mortality. Conclusions: Increased IIV over time is associated with normal ageing. However, further increases in IIV over and above those found in normal ageing may be a risk factor for future cognitive impairment or mortality. Measures of IIV may, therefore, have considerable potential as a supplement to existing clinical assessment to aid identification of individuals at risk of adverse outcomes such as dementia or death. (JINS, 2017, 23, 431–445)

Keywords

Intraindividual variabilityAgeingDementiaCognitive declineMortalityLongitudinal
Type
Critical Review
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 23 , Issue 5 , May 2017 , pp. 431 - 445
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2017 

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

Balota, D.A., Tse, C.S., Hutchison, K.A., Spieler, D.H., Duchek, J.M., & Morris, J.C. (2010). Predicting conversion to dementia of the Alzheimer’s type in a healthy control sample: The power of errors in Stroop color naming. Psychology and Aging, 25(1), 208–218. doi: 10.1037/a0017474 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Batterham, P.J., Bunce, D., Mackinnon, A.J., & Christensen, H. (2014). Intra-individual reaction time variability and all-cause mortality over 17 years: A community-based cohort study. Age and Ageing, 43(1), 84–90. doi: 10.1093/ageing/aft116 Google Scholar
Bayer, A., Phillips, M., Porter, G., Leonards, U., Bompas, A., & Tales, A. (2014). Abnormal inhibition of return in mild cognitive impairment: Is it specific to the presence of prodromal dementia? Journal of Alzheimers Disease, 40(1), 177–189. doi: 10.3233/JAD-131934 Google Scholar
Bielak, A.A., Cherbuin, N., Bunce, D., & Anstey, K.J. (2014). Intraindividual variability is a fundamental phenomenon of aging: Evidence from an 8-year longitudinal study across young, middle, and older adulthood. Developmental Psychology, 50(1), 143–151. doi: 10.1037/a0032650 Google Scholar
Bielak, A.A., Hughes, T.F., Small, B.J., & Dixon, R.A. (2007). It’s never too late to engage in lifestyle activities: Significant concurrent but not change relationships between lifestyle activities and cognitive speed. Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 62(6), P331–P339.Google Scholar
Bielak, A.A., Hultsch, D.F., Strauss, E., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Hunter, M.A. (2010aIntraindividual variability in reaction time predicts cognitive outcomes 5 years later. Neuropsychology, 24(6), 731–741. doi: 10.1037/a0019802 Google Scholar
Bielak, A.A., Hultsch, D.F., Strauss, E., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Hunter, M.A. (2010b). Intraindividual variability is related to cognitive change in older adults: Evidence for within-person coupling. Psychology and Aging, 25(3), 575–586. doi: 10.1037/a0019503 Google Scholar
Bunce, D., Anstey, K.J., Cherbuin, N., Burns, R., Christensen, H., Wen, W., & Sachdev, P.S. (2010). Cognitive deficits are associated with frontal and temporal lobe white matter lesions in middle-aged adults living in the community. PLoS One, 5(10) . doi: ARTN e1356710.1371/journal.pone.0013567 Google Scholar
Bunce, D., Anstey, K.J., Christensen, H., Dear, K., Wen, W., & Sachdev, P. (2007). White matter hyperintensities and within-person variability in community-dwelling adults aged 60-64 years. Neuropsychologia, 45(9), 2009–2015. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2007.02.006 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bunce, D., Bielak, A.A.M., Cherbuin, N., Batterham, P.J., Wen, W., Sachdev, P., & Anstey, K.J. (2013). Utility of intraindividual reaction time variability to predict white matter hyperintensities: A potential assessment tool for clinical contexts? Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 19(9), 971–976. doi: 10.1017/S1355617713000830 Google Scholar
Bunce, D., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Hultsch, D.F. (2004). Inconsistency in serial choice decision and motor reaction times dissociate in younger and older adults. Brain and Cognition, 56(3), 320–327. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2004.08.006 Google Scholar
Bunce, D., Warr, P.B., & Cochrane, T. (1993). Blocks in choice responding as a function of age and physical-fitness. Psychology and Aging, 8(1), 26–33. doi: 10.1037/0882-7974.8.1.26 Google Scholar
Cherbuin, N., Sachdev, P., & Anstey, K.J. (2010). Neuropsychological predictors of transition from healthy cognitive aging to mild cognitive impairment: The PATH through life study. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18(8), 723–733. doi: 10.1097/Jgp.0b013e3181cdecf1 Google Scholar
Christensen, H., Dear, K.B.G., Anstey, K.J., Parslow, R.A., Sachdev, P., & Jorm, A.F. (2005). Within-occasion intraindividual variability and preclinical diagnostic status: Is intraindividual variability an indicator of mild cognitive impairment? Neuropsychology, 19(3), 309–317. doi: 10.1037/0894-4105.19.3.309 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Das, D., Tan, X., Bielak, A.A., Cherbuin, N., Easteal, S., & Anstey, K.J. (2014). Cognitive ability, intraindividual variability, and common genetic variants of catechol-O-methyltransferase and brain-derived neurotrophic factor: A longitudinal study in a population-based sample of older adults. Psychology and Aging, 29(2), 393–403. doi: 10.1037/a0035702 Google Scholar
de Frias, C.M., Dixon, R.A., & Camicioli, R. (2012). Neurocognitive speed and inconsistency in Parkinson’s disease with and without incipient dementia: An 18-month prospective cohort study. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 18(4), 764–772. doi: 10.1017/S1355617712000422 Google Scholar
de Frias, C.M., Dixon, R.A., Fisher, N., & Camicioli, R. (2007). Intraindividual variability in neurocognitive speed: A comparison of Parkinson’s disease and normal older adults. Neuropsychologia, 45(11), 2499–2507. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2007.03.022 Google Scholar
Deary, I.J., Bastin, M.E., Pattie, A., Clayden, J.D., Whalley, L.J., Starr, J.M., & Wardlaw, J.M. (2006). White matter integrity and cognition in childhood and old age. Neurology, 66(4), 505–512. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000199954.81900.e2 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Deary, I.J., & Der, G. (2005a). Reaction time explains IQ’s association with death. Psychological Science, 16(1), 64–69. doi: 10.1111/j.0956-7976.2005.00781.x Google Scholar
Deary, I.J., & Der, G. (2005b). Reaction time, age, and cognitive ability: Longitudinal findings from age 16 to 63 years in representative population samples. Aging Neuropsychology and Cognition, 12(2), 187–215. doi: 10.1080/138255805990969235 Google Scholar
Dixon, R.A., Lentz, T.L., Garrett, D.D., MacDonald, S.W.S., Strauss, E., & Hultsch, D.F. (2007). Neurocognitive markers of cognitive impairment: Exploring the roles of speed and inconsistency. Neuropsychology, 21(3), 381–399. doi: 10.1037/0894-4105.21.3.381 Google Scholar
Duchek, J.M., Balota, D.A., Tse, C.S., Holtzman, D.M., Fagan, A.M., & Goate, A.M. (2009). The utility of intraindividual variability in selective attention tasks as an early marker for Alzheimer’s disease. Neuropsychology, 23(6), 746–758. doi: 10.1037/a0016583 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dykiert, D., Der, G., Starr, J.M., & Deary, I.J. (2012). Age differences in intra-individual variability in simple and choice reaction time: Systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One, 7(10), e45759. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0045759 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fjell, A.M., Westlye, L.T., Amlien, I.K., & Walhovd, K.B. (2011). Reduced white matter integrity is related to cognitive instability. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(49), 18060–18072. doi: 10.1523/Jneurosci.4735-11.2011 Google Scholar
Ghisletta, P., Fagot, D., Lecerf, T., & De Ribaupierre, A. (2013). Amplitude of fluctuations and temporal dependency in intraindividual variability. GeroPsych, 26(3), 141–151.Google Scholar
Gorus, E., De Raedt, R., Lambert, M., Lemper, J.C., & Mets, T. (2008). Reaction times and performance variability in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, 21(3), 204–218. doi: 10.1177/0891988708320973 Google Scholar
Grand, J.H., Stawski, R.S., & MacDonald, S.W. (2016). Comparing individual differences in inconsistency and plasticity as predictors of cognitive function in older adults. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 38(5), 534–550. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2015.1136598 Google Scholar
Graveson, J., Bauermeister, S., McKeown, D., & Bunce, D. (2016). Intraindividual reaction time varaibility, falls and gait in old age: A systematic review. Journals of Gerontology . Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 71, 857–864. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbv027 Google Scholar
Hayden, J.A., Cote, P., & Bombardier, C. (2006). Evaluation of the quality of prognosis studies in systematic reviews. Annals of Internal Medicine, 144(6), 427–437.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hayden, J.A., van der Windt, D.A., Cartwright, J.L., Cote, P., & Bombardier, C. (2013). Assessing bias in studies of prognostic factors. Annals of Internal Medicine, 158(4), 280–286. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-158-4-201302190-00009 Google Scholar
Hultsch, D.F., MacDonald, S.W., Hunter, M.A., Levy-Bencheton, J., & Strauss, E. (2000). Intraindividual variability in cognitive performance in older adults: Comparison of adults with mild dementia, adults with arthritis, and healthy adults. Neuropsychology, 14(4), 588–598.Google Scholar
Hultsch, D.F., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Dixon, R.A. (2002). Variability in reaction time performance of younger and older adults. Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 57(2), 101–115.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hultsch, D.F., Strauss, E., Hunter, M.A., & MacDonald, S.W.S. (2008). Intraindividual variability, cognition and aging. In F.I.M. Craik & T.A. Salthouse (Eds.), The handbook of aging and cognition (3rd ed, pp 491–556). New York: Psychology Press.Google Scholar
Jackson, J.D., Balota, D.A., Duchek, J.M., & Head, D. (2012). White matter integrity and reaction time intraindividual variability in healthy aging and early-stage Alzheimer disease. Neuropsychologia, 50(3), 357–366. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2011.11.024 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kochan, N.A., Bunce, D., Pont, S., Crawford, J.D., Brodaty, H., & Sachdev, P.S. (2016). Reaction time measures predict incident dementia in community-living older adults: The Sydney Memory and Ageing Study. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 24(3), 221–231. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2015.12.005 Google Scholar
Li, S.C., Lindenberger, U., & Sikstrom, S. (2001). Aging cognition: From neuromodulation to representation. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 5(11), 479–486. doi: 10.1016/S1364-6613(00)01769-1 Google Scholar
Lovden, M., Li, S.C., Shing, Y.L., & Lindenberger, U. (2007). Within-person trial-to-trial variability precedes and predicts cognitive decline in old and very old age: Longitudinal data from the Berlin Aging Study. Neuropsychologia, 45(12), 2827–2838. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2007.05.005 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MacDonald, S.W.S., Hultsch, D.F., & Dixon, R.A. (2003). Performance variability is related to change in cognition: Evidence from the victoria longitudinal study. Psychology and Aging, 18(3), 510–523. doi: 10.1037/0882-7974.18.3.510 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MacDonald, S.W.S., Hultsch, D.F., & Dixon, R.A. (2008). Predicting impending death: Inconsistency in speed is a selective and early marker. Psychology and Aging, 23(3), 595–607. doi: 10.1037/0882-7974.23.3.595 Google Scholar
MacDonald, S.W.S., Karlsson, S., Rieckmann, A., Nyberg, L., & Backman, L. (2012). Aging-related increases in behavioral variability: Relations to losses of dopamine D-1 receptors. Journal of Neuroscience, 32(24), 8186–8191. doi: 10.1523/Jneurosci.5474-11.2012 Google Scholar
Mella, N., de Ribaupierre, S., Eagleson, R., & de Ribaupierre, A. (2013). Cognitive intraindividual variability and white matter integrity in aging. ScientificWorldJournal, 2013, 350623. doi: 10.1155/2013/350623 Google Scholar
Moy, G., Millet, P., Haller, S., Baudois, S., de Bilbao, F., Weber, K., & Delaloye, C. (2011). Magnetic resonance imaging determinants of intraindividual variability in the elderly: Combined analysis of grey and white matter. Neuroscience, 186, 88–93. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.04.028 Google Scholar
Myerson, J., Robertson, S., & Hale, S. (2007). Aging and intraindividual variability in performance: Analyses of response time distributions. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 88(3), 319–337. doi: 10.1901/jeab.2007.88-319 Google Scholar
Phillips, M., Rogers, P., Haworth, J., Bayer, A., & Tales, A. (2013). Intra-individual reaction time variability in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease: Gender, processing load and speed factors. PLoS One, 8(6), e65712. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065712 Google Scholar
Riegel, K.F., & Riegel, R.M. (1972). Development, drop, and death. Developmental Psychology, 6(2), 306–319. doi: 10.1037/H0032104 Google Scholar
Shipley, B.A., Der, G., Taylor, M.D., & Deary, I.J. (2006). Cognition and all-cause mortality across the entire adult age range: Health and lifestyle survey. Psychosomatic Medicine, 68(1), 17–24. doi: 10.1097/01.psy.0000195867.66643.0f Google Scholar
Tales, A., Leonards, U., Bompas, A., Snowden, R.J., Philips, M., Porter, G., & Bayer, A. (2012). Intra-individual reaction time variability in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: A precursor to dementia? Journal of Alzheimers Disease, 32(2), 457–466. doi: 10.3233/Jad-2012-120505 Google Scholar
Walhovd, K.B., & Fjell, A.M. (2007). White matter volume predicts reaction time instability. Neuropsychologia, 45(10), 2277–2284. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2007.02.022 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
West, R., Murphy, K.J., Armilio, M.L., Craik, F.I.M., & Stuss, D.T. (2002). Lapses of intention and performance variability reveal age-related increases in fluctuations of executive control. Brain and Cognition, 49(3), 402–419. doi: 10.1006/brcg.2001.1507 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Whitehead, B.P., Dixon, R.A., Hultsch, D.F., & MacDonald, S.W. (2011). Are neurocognitive speed and inconsistency similarly affected in type 2 diabetes? Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 33(6), 647–657. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2010.547845 Google Scholar
Williams, B.R., Hultsch, D.F., Strauss, E.H., Hunter, M.A., & Tannock, R. (2005). Inconsistency in reaction time across the life span. Neuropsychology, 19(1), 88–96. doi: 10.1037/0894-4105.19.1.88 Google Scholar
Yao, C., Stawski, R.S., Hultsch, D.F., & MacDonald, S.W.S. (2016). Selective attrition and intraindividual variability in response time moderate cognitive change. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 38(2), 227–237. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2015.1102869 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed