Alterations of visual search strategy in Alzheimer's disease and aging

Author(s): Mapstone, M. E., Hays, A. K., Mesulam, M. M., Rademaker, A., Gitelman, D. R., Weintraub, S.

Journal/Book: Neuropsychology. 2000; 14: 750 First St NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, USA. Amer Psychological Assoc. 398-408.

Abstract: Visual search, characterized by eye fixation patterns, was examined in 8 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 8 cognitively intact, age-matched individuals, and 8 young control participants as they searched for a number among a nonlinear array of letters on a large computer screen. Among the 3 groups, target detection accuracy differed and detection time increased linearly. There were more fixations, and fixation duration was significantly longer in the AD patients than in the other 2 groups. These factors contributed to the lengthening of target detection time. This qualitative difference in the architecture of visual search between AD and aging may reflect a specific deficit in the disengagement of visual spatial attention, a prolongation of saccade initiation, or inefficiency in planning a search strategy.

Note: Article Weintraub S, Northwestern Univ, Sch Med, Cognit Neurol & Alzheimers Dis Ctr, Dept Psychiat & Behav Sci, 320 E Super, Searle 11-467, Chicago,IL 60611 USA

Keyword(s): POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY; EYE-MOVEMENT DYSFUNCTION; SPATIAL ATTENTION; VISUOSPATIAL ATTENTION; DIRECTED ATTENTION; DIVIDED ATTENTION; DEMENTIA; IMPAIRMENT; ABNORMALITIES; PARIETAL

Zurück | Weiter