Construct Validity of the Continuous Recognition Memory Test

Fuchs, Kathleen L.; Hannay, H. Julia; Huckeba, Wendy; Espy, Kimberley Andrews

doi:10.1076/clin.13.1.54.1977

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 12 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, since the distributions of HITs and FAs had separate relationships to TC and RT, there is no probabilistic relationship between them, and accordingly, Signal Detection Theory does not appear to apply to the analysis of the MemTrax CRT. This finding is consistent with similar studies of CRTs ( Fuchs et al, 1999 ). In a CRT, the HITs represent a complex recognition event, not just the distinguishing of a signal from a noise, and the FAs represent the tendency to lack inhibition in the complex decision to respond or not respond.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

Episodic memory assessment: effects of sex and age on performance and response time during a continuous recognition task

Clifford,

Anand,

Tarpin-Bernard

et al. 2024

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionContinuous recognition tasks (CRTs) assess episodic memory (EM), the central functional disturbance in Alzheimer’s disease and several related disorders. The online MemTrax computerized CRT provides a platform for screening and assessment that is engaging and can be repeated frequently. MemTrax presents complex visual stimuli, which require complex involvement of the lateral and medial temporal lobes and can be completed in less than 2 min. Results include number of correct recognitions (HITs), recognition failures (MISSes = 1-HITs), correct rejections (CRs), false alarms (FAs = 1-CRs), total correct (TC = HITs + CRs), and response times (RTs) for each HIT and FA. Prior analyses of MemTrax CRT data show no effects of sex but an effect of age on performance. The number of HITs corresponds to faster RT-HITs more closely than TC, and CRs do not relate to RT-HITs. RT-HITs show a typical skewed distribution, and cumulative RT-HITs fit a negative survival curve (RevEx). Thus, this study aimed to define precisely the effects of sex and age on HITS, CRs, RT-HITs, and the dynamics of RTs in an engaged population.MethodsMemTrax CRT online data on 18,255 individuals was analyzed for sex, age, and distributions of HITs, CRs, MISSes, FAs, TC, and relationships to both RT-HITs and RT-FAs.ResultsHITs corresponded more closely to RT-HITs than did TC because CRs did not relate to RT-HITs. RT-FAs had a broader distribution than RT-HITs and were faster than RT-HITs in about half of the sample, slower in the other half. Performance metrics for men and women were the same. HITs declined with age as RT-HITs increased. CRs also decreased with age and RT-FAs increased, but with no correlation. The group over aged 50 years had RT-HITs distributions slower than under 50 years. For both age ranges, the RevEx model explained more than 99% of the variance in RT-HITs.DiscussionThe dichotomy of HITs and CRs suggests opposing cognitive strategies: (1) less certainty about recognitions, in association with slower RT-HITs and lower HIT percentages suggests recognition difficulty, leading to more MISSes, and (2) decreased CRs (more FAs) but faster RTs to HITs and FAs, suggesting overly quick decisions leading to errors. MemTrax CRT performance provides an indication of EM (HITs and RT-HITs may relate to function of the temporal lobe), executive function (FAs may relate to function of the frontal lobe), processing speed (RTs), cognitive ability, and age-related changes. This CRT provides potential clinical screening utility for early Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions affecting EM, other cognitive functions, and more accurate impairment assessment to track changes over time.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

Episodic memory assessment: effects of sex and age on performance and response time during a continuous recognition task

Clifford,

Anand,

Tarpin-Bernard

et al. 2024

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Similar tests administered in-person, the Continuous Visual Memory Test ( Larrabee et al, 1992 ) and the Continuous Recognition Memory test ( Fuchs et al, 1999 ), have already been shown to have construct validity. Of note, the Continuous Recognition Memory test shows the same dissociation of HITs and Correct Rejections shown for these MemTrax data.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The present study analyzed the distribution of behavioral data produced when individuals performed an online modification of a traditional Signal Detection Task (SDT), the MemTrax CRT ( Ashford et al, 2019b ), to test learning, memory, and cognition. Prior in-person, not-computerized CRTs, the Continuous Visual Memory Test ( Larrabee et al, 1992 ) and the Continuous Recognition Memory test ( Fuchs et al, 1999 ), have used a similar format with different types of stimuli and have shown that the CRT format has construct validity. Related studies have examined the retrieval processes involved in continuous recognition ( Hockley, 1982 ) and provided information on memory trace strength and the memory theories ( Hockley, 1984b , 2022 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correctness and response time distributions in the MemTrax continuous recognition task: Analysis of strategies and a reverse-exponential model

Ashford

Clifford

Anand

et al. 2022

Front. Aging Neurosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A critical issue in addressing medical conditions is measurement. Memory measurement is difficult, especially episodic memory, which is disrupted by many conditions. On-line computer testing can precisely measure and assess several memory functions. This study analyzed memory performances from a large group of anonymous, on-line participants using a continuous recognition task (CRT) implemented at https://memtrax.com. These analyses estimated ranges of acceptable performance and average response time (RT). For 344,165 presumed unique individuals completing the CRT a total of 602,272 times, data were stored on a server, including each correct response (HIT), Correct Rejection, and RT to the thousandth of a second. Responses were analyzed, distributions and relationships of these parameters were ascertained, and mean RTs were determined for each participant across the population. From 322,996 valid first tests, analysis of correctness showed that 63% of these tests achieved at least 45 correct (90%), 92% scored at or above 40 correct (80%), and 3% scored 35 correct (70%) or less. The distribution of RTs was skewed with 1% faster than 0.62 s, a median at 0.890 s, and 1% slower than 1.57 s. The RT distribution was best explained by a novel model, the reverse-exponential (RevEx) function. Increased RT speed was most closely associated with increased HIT accuracy. The MemTrax on-line memory test readily provides valid and reliable metrics for assessing individual episodic memory function that could have practical clinical utility for precise assessment of memory dysfunction in many conditions, including improvement or deterioration over time.

show abstract

“…Within-day reliability of the 2-back was low from this preliminary study, so 2-back task rules were adjusted prior to conducting the current study such that participants were required to respond to non-match items (rather than solely match items). Literature suggests the memory recognition paradigm and flanker task are valid and reliable measures of memory and attention, respectively (Fuchs et al, 1999; Zelazo et al, 2014). While there are mixed findings regarding the validity of the 2-back as a measure of working memory, it is reliable (Jacola et al, 2014) and helpful in identifying differences in cognitive processing between groups/clinical populations (Miller et al, 2009), and following acute exercise (Basso and Suzuki, 2017).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Acute Aerobic Exercise on Cognition and Constructs of Decision-Making in Adults With and Without Hypertension

Lefferts

DeBlois

White

et al. 2019

Front. Aging Neurosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Hypertension accelerates brain aging, resulting in cognitive dysfunction with advancing age. Exercise is widely recommended for adults with hypertension to attenuate cognitive dysfunction. Whether acute exercise benefits cognitive function in this at-risk population is unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of acute aerobic exercise on cognitive function in 30 middle-aged hypertensive (HTN) and 30 age, sex, and body mass index (BMI)-matched non-HTN adults (56 ± 6 years, BMI 28.2 ± 2.9 kg/m2; 32 men). Subjects underwent cognitive testing pre/post 30-min cycling (≈55% peak oxygen consumption). Cognition was assessed using standard metrics of accuracy and reaction time (RT) across memory recognition, 2-back, and Flanker tasks. Behavioral data was further analyzed using drift-diffusion modeling to examine underlying components of decision-making (strength of evidence, caution, bias) and RT (non-decision time). Exercise elicited similar changes in cognitive function in both HTN and non-HTN groups (p > 0.05). Accuracy was unaltered for Flanker and 2-back tasks, while hits and false alarms increased for memory recognition post-exercise (p < 0.05). Modeling results indicated changes in memory hits/false alarms were due to significant changes in stimulus bias post-exercise. RT decreased for Flanker and memory recognition tasks and was driven by reductions in post-exercise non-decision time (p < 0.05). Our data indicate acute exercise resulted in similar, beneficial cognitive responses in both middle-age HTN and non-HTN adults, marked by unaltered task accuracy, and accelerated RT post-exercise. Additionally, drift-diffusion modeling revealed that beneficial acceleration of cognitive processing post-exercise (RT) is driven by changes in non-decision components (encoding/motor response) rather than the decision-making process itself.

show abstract

Construct Validity of the Continuous Recognition Memory Test

Cited by 8 publications

References 12 publications

Episodic memory assessment: effects of sex and age on performance and response time during a continuous recognition task

Episodic memory assessment: effects of sex and age on performance and response time during a continuous recognition task

Correctness and response time distributions in the MemTrax continuous recognition task: Analysis of strategies and a reverse-exponential model

Effects of Acute Aerobic Exercise on Cognition and Constructs of Decision-Making in Adults With and Without Hypertension

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About