Stroop interference and AQT cognitive speed may play complementary roles in differentiating dementias with frontal and posterior lesions.

Abstract

Forty neurotypical adults (ages 65-74) were administered three different assessments, as follows: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), A Quick Test of Cognitive Speed (AQT), and Stroop Color and Word Test. Correlation coefficients (Pearson r) indicated a significant but moderate association between MoCA scores and AQT dual-dimension processing speed (p < 0.01). AQT color and color-form combination naming correlated significantly with Stroop Color, Word, and Color-Word t-scores, and the observed statistical power was high. Form naming correlated significantly with Stroop Word and Color-Word measures (p < 0.01). The associations between the AQT color, form, and color-form combination and Stroop interference measures were low and non-significant (p > 0.01). Based on evidence of frontal lobe control of inhibition (Stroop) and bilateral temporal-parietal control of dual-dimension processing speed (AQT), results suggest that the AQT dual-dimension processing-speed and Stroop interference tests may complement each other in differentiating dementias associated with frontal and posterior lesions.