MindPulse, a novel cognitive numeric test to evaluate decision-making deficits in humans
Evaluating information processing speed and accuracy is a classic in neuropsychological assessment. Speed is directly related to high-level cognitive functions. Indeed, time-constrained and time-limited decision-making requires the participant to constantly re-evaluate the speed – precision trade-off in order to limit the number of potential errors. Although processing speed deficits are commonly seen in brain damage, the exact cause of this slowdown remains unclear. In order to facilitate its analysis, it appears important to be able to separate the perceptual-motor time component from the time component linked to decision-making. We present with the MindPulse test a new technique to measure the more basic components in reaction time (RT). It is a rapid digital test, allowing the evaluation of fundamental decision-making by analyzing the balance between speed and precision. We believe that depending on the person, two strategies may emerge in the face of increasing difficulty, with either over-acceleration or over-slowing. This pilot study, conducted on 83 neurotypical participants, is based on a presentation of simple and identifiable visual stimuli in all cultures. MindPulse notes the TRs as well as the accuracy of answers. We have shown that the TR can be broken down into 3 elementary and independent components: Simple Reaction Time (TRS), executive speed (Executive Speed, ES), and Reaction to Difficulty (RD). We believe that DR reflects how the subject adjusts to difficulty either by speeding up (RD <0) or decelerating (RD> 0). This study offers a first proof of concept for the use of MindPulse to measure the balance between precision and speed inherent in fundamental decision-making in 4 axes: perceptual-motor speed, executive speed, person precision and his reaction to the difficulty.
A Dissociation of Attention, Executive Function and Reaction to Difficulty: Development of the MindPulse Test, a Novel Digital Neuropsychological Test for Precise Quantification of Perceptual-Motor Decision-Making Processes. Sandra Suarez, Bertrand Eynard and Sylvie Granon.
Evaluating information processing speed and accuracy is a classic in neuropsychological assessment.
Article published in Frontiers in Neuroscience – Access to the manuscript
