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Indices of slowness of information processing in head injury patients: Tests for selective attention related to ERP latencies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 2004

JACOBA M. SPIKMAN ,
JOUKJE VAN DER NAALT ,
TIEMEN W. VAN WEERDEN  and
ADRIAAN H. VAN ZOMEREN
JACOBA M. SPIKMAN
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Academic Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands Rehabilitation Centre Friesland, Beetsterzwaag, The Netherlands
JOUKJE VAN DER NAALT
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Academic Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands
TIEMEN W. VAN WEERDEN
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Academic Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands
ADRIAAN H. VAN ZOMEREN
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Academic Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands
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Abstract

We explored the relation between neuropsychological (attention tests involving time constraints) and neurophysiological (N2 and P3 event-related potential (ERP) latencies) indices of slowness of information processing after closed head injury (CHI). A group of 44 CHI patients performed worse than healthy controls on most neuropsychological indices, and had significantly longer ERP latencies. Significant correlations between neuropsychological measures and ERP latencies were found only for the 3 subtasks of the Stroop test. In additional multiple regression analyses P3 latency appeared the best predictor in Stroop Color only. A possible explanation is that stimulus evaluation processes comprise a relatively large part of performance on this subtask. In Stroop Color-Word, response related processes are supposed to play a greater role, reducing the role of the preceding input related processes. The absence of significant correlations between P3 latency and scores on the other attention tests suggests a relatively small role of stimulus evaluation processes in these tasks, implying that these tasks are not sensitive to slowness of these processes. The Stroop test appears to be the only attention test administered in which slowness in stimulus evaluation processes requiring selective attention contributes significantly to the delay in final performance on the task. (JINS, 2004, 10, 851–861.)

Keywords

Selective attentionEvent-related potentialsHead injury
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 10 , Issue 6 , October 2004 , pp. 851 - 861
Copyright
© 2004 The International Neuropsychological Society

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