Skip to main content
Log in

Reaction time prolongation in the early stage of presenile onset Alzheimer's disease

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Simple reaction times (RT) to clicks, flashes and numerical signals were measured in four groups of subjects: 21 patients with mild presenile onset dementia of the Alzheimer type (PDAT, mean age 56 years), 14 patients with chronic cardiovascular disease and incipient cognitive deficit (mean age 55 years), 15 healthy older controls (mean age 53 years) and 16 younger controls (mean age 23 years). Both patient groups had significantly prolonged RTs, the PDAT group especially to the numerical signal (149%), compared with the age-matched controls.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. American Psychiatric Association (1987) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd edn. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, pp 103–109, 119–123

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bellis CJ (1933) Reaction time and chronological age. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 30:801–803

    Google Scholar 

  3. Berg L, Hughes CP, Coben LA, Danziger WL, Martin RL, Knesevich J (1982) Mild senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT): research diagnostic criteria, recruitment, and description of a study population. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 45:962–968

    Google Scholar 

  4. Burke WJ, Miller JP, Rubin EH, Morris JC, Lawrence AC, Duchek J, Wittels IG, Berg L (1988) Reliability of the Washington University Clinical Dementia Rating. Arch Neurol 45: 31–32

    Google Scholar 

  5. Elsass P, Hartelius H (1985) Reaction times and brain disease: relations to location, etiology and progression of cerebral dysfunction. Acta Neurol Scand 71:11–19

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hellström A, Forssell LG, Fernaeus SE (1989) Early stages of late onset Alzheimer's disease. V. Psychometric evaluation of perceptual/cognitive processes. Acta Neurol Scand 79 [Suppl 121]:87–92

    Google Scholar 

  7. Hughes CP, Berg L, Danziger WL, Coben LA, Martin RL (1982) A new clinical scale for the staging of dementia. Br J Psychiatry 140:566–572

    Google Scholar 

  8. Klensch H (1973) Die diagnosische Valenz der Reaktionszeitmessung bei verschiedenen zerebralen Erkrankungen. Fortschr Neutrol Psychiatr 41:575–581

    Google Scholar 

  9. Loring DW, Largen JW (1985) Neuropsychological patterns of presenile and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. Neuropsychologia 23:351–357.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Mas JL, Alperovitch A, Derouesne C (1987) Epidèmiologie de la dèmence de type Alzheimer. Rev Neurol (Paris) 143:161–171

    Google Scholar 

  11. Müller G, Richter RA, Weisbrod S, Klingberg F (1990) Labyrinth learning impairment in patients with early symptoms of presenile dementia. Gerontology 36:145–149

    Google Scholar 

  12. Nettelbeck T (1980) Factors affecting reaction time: mental retardation, brain damage and other psychopathologies. In: Welford AT (ed) Reaction times. Academic Press, London, pp 355–401

    Google Scholar 

  13. Pirozzolo F, Christensen K, Ogle K, Hansch E, Thompson W (1981) Simple and choice reaction time in dementia: clinical implications. Neurobiol Aging 2:113–117

    Google Scholar 

  14. Pöthig D, Roth N (1980) Zum Einsatz von psychomotorischen Verfahren bei der Bestimmung des biologischen Alterns. Z Alternsforsch, 35:221–229

    Google Scholar 

  15. Pöthig D, Poegelt B, Roth N (1985) Zur Anwendung des La, byrinthtestes in der gerontologischen Funktionsdiagnostik. Z Alternsforsch 40:23–28

    Google Scholar 

  16. Rüsch J (1944) Dark adapatation, negative after images, tachistoscopic examinations and reaction time after head injuries. J Neurosurg 1:243–251

    Google Scholar 

  17. Tartaglione A, Bino G, Manzino U (1986) Simple reaction time changes in patients with unilateral brain damage. Neuropsychologia 24:649–658

    Google Scholar 

  18. Van Zomeren AH (1981) Reaction time and attention after closed head injury Swets and Zeitlinger, Lisse

    Google Scholar 

  19. Wagner O (1985) Möglichkeiten und Probleme der testpsychologischen Erfssung dementieller Syndrome im mittleren und höheren Lebensalter. Schweiz Arch Neurol Neurochir Psychiatr 136:43–45

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Müller, G., Richter, R.A., Weisbrod, S. et al. Reaction time prolongation in the early stage of presenile onset Alzheimer's disease. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Nuerosci 241, 46–48 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02193754

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02193754

Key words

Navigation