title: An FMRI-compatible Symbol Search task.
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.
authors: 1University of Georgia,Department of Psychology,Athens,Georgia.
authors: Spencer W
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7036-4198
authors: SW
authors: Liebel
authors: 2Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,Department of Neurology,New York,New York.
authors: Uraina S
authors: US
authors: Clark
authors: 3Idaho State University,Department of Psychology,Pocatello,Idaho.
authors: Xiaomeng
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3695-4845
authors: X
authors: Xu
authors: 4Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University,Department of Psychiatry,Providence,Rhode Island.
authors: Hannah H
authors: HH
authors: Riskin-Jones
authors: 1University of Georgia,Department of Psychology,Athens,Georgia.
authors: Brittany E
authors: BE
authors: Hawkshead
authors: 1University of Georgia,Department of Psychology,Athens,Georgia.
authors: Nicolette F
authors: NF
authors: Schwarz
authors: 4Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University,Department of Psychiatry,Providence,Rhode Island.
authors: Donald
authors: D
authors: Labbe
authors: 4Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University,Department of Psychiatry,Providence,Rhode Island.
authors: Beth A
authors: BA
authors: Jerskey
authors: 1University of Georgia,Department of Psychology,Athens,Georgia.
authors: Lawrence H
authors: LH
authors: Sweet
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D013561:Symbolism
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Reliability