Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 185, Juqian Street, Tianning Area, Changzhou, 213003, China.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Soochow University, Soochow, China.
BMC Neurosci. 2024 Aug 26;25(1):39. doi: 10.1186/s12868-024-00886-9.
The trail making test (TMT) is a commonly used tool for evaluating executive functions, and the activation of cerebral oxygenation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during the test can reflect the participation of executive function. This study aimed to compare the differences in cerebral oxygenation in the PFC between the computer- and paper-based versions of the TMT and provide a theoretical basis for the optimization and clinical application of the computer-based version. A total of 32 healthy adult participants completed the computer- and paper-based TMT Types A and B. Cerebral oxygenation changes in the PFC were monitored during the experiment using near-infrared spectroscopy. Moreover, average changes in oxyhemoglobin (Δoxy-Hb) levels at the baseline and during activation periods in different types of testing were compared and analyzed. The number of correct connections in the computer-based version Type B was less than that in the paper-based version Type B (p < .001). The task time of the computer-based version was longer than that of the paper-based version (p < .001). The B/A ratio of the number of correct connections in the computer-based version was lower than that in the paper-based version (p < .001). The Δoxy-Hb in the PFC of the paper-based version was higher than that of the computer-based version (p < .001). Significant differences in oxygenation in the PFC were observed between the paper- and computer-based versions of TMT. After further improvement and correction in the subsequent development of the computer-based TMT, and taking into account the psychological feelings and preferences of the participants when performing different versions of the TMTs, the computer-based TMT is expected to play a good auxiliary role in clinical evaluation.
连线测验（TMT）是评估执行功能的常用工具，测试过程中前额叶皮质（PFC）的脑氧合激活可以反映执行功能的参与。本研究旨在比较 TMT 计算机版和纸笔版之间 PFC 脑氧合的差异，为计算机版的优化和临床应用提供理论依据。共有 32 名健康成年参与者完成了 TMT 计算机版和纸笔版 A、B 型的测试。实验过程中使用近红外光谱监测 PFC 中的脑氧合变化，并对比分析了不同测试类型下基线和激活期平均氧合血红蛋白（Δoxy-Hb）水平的变化。计算机版 B 型的正确连线数少于纸笔版 B 型（p<0.001）。计算机版的任务时间长于纸笔版（p<0.001）。计算机版的正确连线数 B/A 比值低于纸笔版（p<0.001）。纸笔版的 PFC 区Δoxy-Hb 高于计算机版（p<0.001）。TMT 纸笔版和计算机版之间的 PFC 区氧合存在显著差异。在进一步改进和修正计算机版 TMT 之后，考虑到参与者在执行不同版本 TMT 时的心理感受和偏好，计算机版 TMT 有望在临床评估中发挥良好的辅助作用。
