A novel framework to measure executive function in Down syndrome, with applications for early clinical diagnosis of dementia

Liz Smith, Craig Hedge, Christopher Jarrold

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)
282 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Executive function (EF) decline is a consistent early sign of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) among adults with Down syndrome (DS); baseline measures of EF for individuals with DS are vital to allow detection of meaningful decline. We developed a framework to extract measures of three core components of EF (memory updating, inhibitory, and temporal components) within one task. Increases in memory load, inhibitory load, and temporal demands led to significant increases in reaction times and significant decreases in accuracy among eighteen adults with DS and 18 typically developing matched individuals; thus the expected effects of all three manipulations were detected. Good test-retest reliability indicated that this framework has the potential to provide a simple, baseline EF measure for individuals with DS.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)354-373
Number of pages20
JournalAmerican Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Volume124
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2019

Research Groups and Themes

  • Memory
  • Physical and Mental Health
  • Cognitive Science
  • Developmental (Psychological Science)

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