Attention, inhibition, and proximity to clinical onset in preclinical mutation carriers for Huntington's disease.
Research in preclinical mutation carriers for Huntington's disease (HD) aims to find measures sensitive to preclinical decline. This study investigated attentional abilities in mutation carriers and noncarriers. Mutation carriers demonstrated a normal "attentional blink" during rapid serial visual presentation, normal covert visual orienting, and normal directing of attention to tactile stimuli. However, they were more likely than noncarriers to make anticipatory responses before target presentation. Additionally, those closer to estimated onset of HD demonstrated larger "inhibition of return" effects. The findings suggest potential changes in cognitive inhibition of unwanted responses, and in automatic inhibition of visual orienting, in preclinical HD.
Farrow
Maree
M
School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Churchyard
Andrew
A
Chua
Phyllis
P
Bradshaw
John L
JL
Chiu
Edmond
E
Georgiou-Karistianis
Nellie
N
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology; D014732:Vibration