title: A Computerized Test of Design Fluency.
abstract: Tests of design fluency (DF) assess a participant's ability to generate geometric patterns and are thought to measure executive functions involving the non-dominant frontal lobe. Here, we describe the properties of a rapidly administered computerized design-fluency (C-DF) test that measures response times, and is automatically scored. In Experiment 1, we found that the number of unique patterns produced over 90 s by 180 control participants (ages 18 to 82 years) correlated with age, education, and daily computer-use. Each line in the continuous 4-line patterns required approximately 1.0 s to draw. The rate of pattern production and the incidence of repeated patterns both increased over the 90 s test. Unique pattern z-scores (corrected for age and computer-use) correlated with the results of other neuropsychological tests performed on the same day. Experiment 2 analyzed C-DF test-retest reliability in 55 participants in three test sessions at weekly intervals and found high z-score intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC = 0.79). Z-scores in the first session did not differ significantly from those of Experiment 1, but performance improved significantly over repeated tests. Experiment 3 investigated the performance of Experiment 2 participants when instructed to simulate malingering. Z-scores were significantly reduced and pattern repetitions increased, but there was considerable overlap with the performance of the control population. Experiment 4 examined performance in veteran patients tested more than one year after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Patients with mild TBI performed within the normal range, but patients with severe TBI showed reduced z-scores. The C-DF test reliably measures visuospatial pattern generation ability and reveals performance deficits in patients with severe TBI.
authors.affiliation: Human Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, VANCHCS, 150 Muir Rd., Martinez, CA 95553, United States of America.|UC Davis Department of Neurology, 4860 Y St., Suite 3700, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States of America.|Center for Neurosciences, UC Davis, 1544 Newton Ct., Davis, CA 95616, United States of America.|UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain, 202 Cousteau Place, Suite 201, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America.|NeuroBehavioral Systems, Inc., 15 Shattuck Square, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States of America.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.affiliation: Human Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, VANCHCS, 150 Muir Rd., Martinez, CA 95553, United States of America.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wyma
authors.affiliation: Human Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, VANCHCS, 150 Muir Rd., Martinez, CA 95553, United States of America.
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Herron
authors.affiliation: Human Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, VANCHCS, 150 Muir Rd., Martinez, CA 95553, United States of America.
authors.forename: E William
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Yund
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000503:physiopathology; D003201:Computers; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D055815:Young Adult