Abstract
Objective cognitive impairment is a feature of Lewy body dementia (LBD), and computerised attentional tasks are commonly used as outcome measures in interventional trials. However, the reliability of these measures, in the absence of interventions, are unknown. This study examined the reliability of these attentional measures at short-term and longer-term follow-up stages. LBD patients (n = 36) completed computerised attentional tasks [simple and choice reaction time, and digit vigilance (SRT, CRT, DV)] at short-term (Day 0–Day 5) and longer-term (4 and 12 weeks) follow-up. Intra-class correlations (ICCs) were calculated to assess test–retest reliability. At short-term, the reciprocal SRT, CRT and DV mean reaction time to correct answers, the reciprocal DV coefficient of variation, and reciprocal power of attention (PoA) all showed excellent levels of reliability (all ICCs > 0.90). The reciprocal PoA showed the highest level of reliability (ICC = 0.978). At longer-term follow-up, only the reciprocal PoA had excellent levels of reliability (ICC = 0.927). Reciprocal SRT, CRT and DV reaction time to correct answers, and the CRT coefficient of variation values, showed good levels of test–retest reliability (ICCs ≥ 0.85). Contrary to expectations, most attentional measures demonstrated high levels of test–retest reliability at both short-term and longer-term follow-up time points. The reciprocal PoA composite measure demonstrated excellent levels of test–retest reliability, both in the short-term and long-term. This indicates that objective attentional tasks are suitable outcome measures in LBD studies and that the composite PoA measure may offer the highest levels of reliability.
Highlights
Lewy body dementia (LBD) is an umbrella term that refers to dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD)
The test–retest reliability of short-term attentional measures, assessed between baseline and between Day 0 and Day 5, was excellent (ICCs > 0.90) for the reciprocal simple reaction time (SRT) (ICC = 0.924), choice reaction time (CRT) (ICC = 0.970) and digit vigilance (DV) (ICC = 0.951) mean reaction times (RTs) to correct answers, as well as the reciprocal DV coefficient of variation (ICC = 0.973) and reciprocal power of attention (PoA), which showed the highest level of reliability (ICC = 0.978)
There were high levels of test–retest reliability for some, but not all, attentional measures. This was the case at short-term and followup time points
Summary
Lewy body dementia (LBD) is an umbrella term that refers to dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD). DLB is a common cause of neurodegenerative dementia in older people and accounts for as much as 7.5% of diagnosed dementia cases in secondary care [1, 2]. Dementia is frequently observed as a long-term outcome in Parkinson’s disease (PD), since up to 80% of. Individuals with PD eventually develop dementia [3, 4]. DLB and PDD share a common underlying alpha-synuclein neuropathology, and both dementias share the core diagnostic and clinical features of marked attentional and visuoperceptual deficits [5, 6]
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