Practice effects on the modified Concept Shifting Task (mCST): A convenient assessment for treatment effects on prefrontal cognitive function

Abstract

BackgroundTrail-making tests, such as the Concept Shifting Task (CST), can be used to test the effects of treatment on cognitive performance over time in various neuropsychological disorders. However, cognitive performance in such experimental designs might improve as a result of the practice obtained during repeated testing rather than the treatment itself. The current study investigated if practice affects the accuracy and duration of performance on the repeatedly administered Concept Shifting Task modified to make it resistant to practice (mCST). The mCST was administered to 54 healthy participants twice a day, before and after a short break, for eight days. Results. The ANOVA and meta-analysis showed that there was no improvement in the mCST accuracy on the last vs. the first trial (Hedges' g = .14, p = .221) or within the session (after vs. before the break on all days; g = .01, p = .922). However, the participants performed the task faster on the last vs. the first trial (g = -.75, p < .001) and after vs. before the break on all days (g = -.12, p = .002). Conclusions. Repeated administration of the mCST does not affect the accuracy of performance on the test. However, practice might contribute to faster performance on the mCST over time and within each session.

Cognitive correlates of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in treatment-resistant depression- a pilot study

“…One task that can be used to investigate higher cognitive processes controlled by the DLPFC, including the ability to shift attention, the strategy to perform the test, visual recognition and scanning, and short and long-term memory, is the Modified Concept Shifting Task, mCST [10]. The mCST is a simple pen and paper example of a trail-making test that is cheap and easy to administer repeatedly.…”

“…The mCST is a simple pen and paper example of a trail-making test that is cheap and easy to administer repeatedly. The major advantage of this task, compared to other standard cognitive tests, is that the accuracy of performance on the mCST was robust against practice effects when administered twice a day, separated by a 30 min break, for eight days in healthy humans [10]. While accuracy is not affected by practice, the duration of performance on the mCST might be affected by practice because, in the absence of any treatment, it was significantly shorter on the last day (day 8) compared to baseline (day 1) and after vs. before the break on each testing day [10].…”

“…The major advantage of this task, compared to other standard cognitive tests, is that the accuracy of performance on the mCST was robust against practice effects when administered twice a day, separated by a 30 min break, for eight days in healthy humans [10]. While accuracy is not affected by practice, the duration of performance on the mCST might be affected by practice because, in the absence of any treatment, it was significantly shorter on the last day (day 8) compared to baseline (day 1) and after vs. before the break on each testing day [10]. Therefore, at least in terms of accuracy of performance, the mCST appears suitable for repetitive administration and any improvements in the accuracy could be attributed to treatment, such as the rTMS, rather than practice.…”

“…Due to the potential practice effects on the duration of performance on the mCST seen over eight days [10], a non-clinical healthy volunteer group was included in the current study to monitor their performance on the mCST concurrently to the patients for 20 days. The performance on the mCST over the first 8/20 days of testing has already been published as part of a larger data set for this N  = 8 group [10] while the current study reports their performance on the task over the full length of experiment (20 days).…”

“…The performance on the mCST over the first 8/20 days of testing has already been published as part of a larger data set for this N  = 8 group [10] while the current study reports their performance on the task over the full length of experiment (20 days). It was hypothesised that, in the absence of any treatment, an improvement in the accuracy and/or duration of performance on the mCST in healthy volunteers would indicate presence of practice effects on the task either within-session (after vs. before a session break on each day) or on the last day (day 20) vs. baseline (day 1) of the experiment.…”