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.

中文翻译：

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情景记忆评估：性别和年龄对连续识别任务中表现和反应时间的影响

简介连续识别任务 (CRT) 可评估情景记忆 (EM)，这是阿尔茨海默病和几种相关疾病的中枢功能障碍。在线 MemTrax 计算机化 CRT 提供了一个引人入胜且可经常重复的筛选和评估平台。 MemTrax 呈现复杂的视觉刺激，需要外侧和内侧颞叶的复杂参与，并且可以在不到 2 分钟内完成。结果包括正确识别数 (HIT)、识别失败数 (MISSes = 1-HITs)、正确拒绝数 (CRs)、误报数 (FAs = 1-CRs)、总正确数 (TC = HITs + CRs) 和响应时间 (每个 HIT 和 FA 的 RT）。之前对 MemTrax CRT 数据的分析表明，性别对表现没有影响，但年龄对表现有影响。 HIT 的数量与更快的 RT-HIT 的对应关系比 TC 更接近，并且 CR 与 RT-HIT 无关。 RT-HIT 显示出典型的偏态分布，累积 RT-HIT 符合负生存曲线 (RevEx)。因此，本研究旨在准确定义性别和年龄对参与人群中的 HITS、CR、RT-HIT 以及 RT 动态的影响。方法MemTrax CRT 在线数据对 18,255 名个体的性别、年龄和分布进行了分析。 HIT、CR、MISS、FA、TC 以及与 RT-HIT 和 RT-FA 的关系。结果HIT 与 RT-HIT 的对应关系比 TC 更接近，因为 CR 与 RT-HIT 无关。 RT-FA 比 RT-HIT 分布更广，并且在大约一半的样本中比 RT-HIT 快，在另一半样本中比 RT-HIT 慢。男性和女性的绩效指标相同。 HIT 随着年龄的增长而下降，而 RT-HIT 则增加。 CR 也随着年龄的增长而降低，而 RT-FA 则增加，但没有相关性。 50 岁以上群体的 RT-HIT 分布比 50 岁以下群体慢。对于这两个年龄范围，RevEx 模型解释了超过 99% 的 RT-HIT 方差。讨论 HIT 和 CR 的二分法表明了相反的认知策略：(1) 识别的确定性较低，与较慢的 RT-HIT 和较低的 HIT 相关百分比表明识别困难，导致更多 MISS；(2) CR 减少（FA 增多），但 HIT 和 FA 的 RT 加快，表明决策过快导致错误。 MemTrax CRT 性能提供 EM（HIT 和 RT-HIT 可能与颞叶功能相关）、执行功能（FA 可能与额叶功能相关）、处理速度 (RT)、认知能力和年龄的指示。相关的变化。该 CRT 为早期阿尔茨海默病和影响 EM 的其他疾病、其他认知功能提供了潜在的临床筛查实用性，并提供了更准确的损伤评估以跟踪随时间的变化。