Reaction Time and Accuracy Analysis on Working Memory Tasks for Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Alzheimer's Diagnosis

Godofredo Quispe Mamani1, Francisco J. Fraga2, Guilherme Tavares1, Erin Johns3, Natalie D. Phillips3

  • 1Federal University of ABC (UFABC)
  • 2Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC)
  • 3Concordia University

Details

12:00 - 13:45 | Mon 6 Nov | Auditorium Foyer, E1/E2, Upper Atrium Space | MLunch_Break.25

Session: Lunch, Posters and POC Technologies Demonstrations – Session I

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Abstract

Early diagnosis of dementia is a pressing need in both developed and developing countries. In this study, Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects performed N-back working memory (WM) tasks in low load (0-back), medium load (1-back) and high memory load (2-back) conditions. Healthy elderly (HE) participants also performed the same tasks (control group). Reaction times of all participants performing the 0-back task presented significant lower values than higher-load WM tasks. More importantly, AD accuracy was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than HE in 1-back match, 1-back non-match and 2-back non-match tasks. Such results suggest that AD patients can be differentiated from HE controls only with this behavioral analysis, while MCI individuals cannot.