Polden Megan, Wilcockson Thomas D W, Crawford Trevor J
Psychology Department, Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4YF, UK.
School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Epinal Way, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK.
Brain Sci. 2020 Jul 18;10(7):461. doi: 10.3390/brainsci10070461.
Various studies have shown that Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with an impairment of inhibitory control, although we do not have a comprehensive understanding of the associated cognitive processes. The ability to engage and disengage attention is a crucial cognitive operation of inhibitory control and can be readily investigated using the "gap effect" in a saccadic eye movement paradigm. In previous work, various demographic factors were confounded; therefore, here, we examine separately the effects of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease, ethnicity/culture and age. This study included young ( = 44) and old ( = 96) European participants, AD ( = 32), mildly cognitively impaired participants (MCI: = 47) and South Asian older adults ( = 94). A clear reduction in the mean reaction times was detected in all the participant groups in the gap condition compared to the overlap condition, confirming the effect. Importantly, this effect was also preserved in participants with MCI and AD. A strong effect of age was also evident, revealing a slowing in the disengagement of attention during the natural process of ageing.
多项研究表明，阿尔茨海默病（AD）与抑制控制受损有关，尽管我们对相关的认知过程尚无全面的了解。参与和转移注意力的能力是抑制控制的一项关键认知操作，并且可以在扫视眼动范式中利用“间隙效应”轻松进行研究。在之前的研究中，各种人口统计学因素相互混淆；因此，在此我们分别考察阿尔茨海默病中的认知障碍、种族/文化和年龄的影响。本研究纳入了年轻的（n = 44）和年长的（n = 96）欧洲参与者、AD患者（n = 32）、轻度认知障碍参与者（MCI：n = 47）以及南亚老年人（n = 94）。与重叠条件相比，在间隙条件下所有参与者组的平均反应时间均明显缩短，证实了该效应。重要的是，这种效应在MCI和AD参与者中也存在。年龄的影响也很显著，表明在自然衰老过程中注意力转移出现减慢。
