Using a serious game to measure executive functioning: Response inhibition ability

Abstract

In previous research, we developed a serious target acquisition game (with moles as targets) for assessing cognitive speed. Tong, Chignell, Tierney, and Lee demonstrated that performance on the game may be a useful screening tool for risk of delirium onset. In this study, we validate a version of the game where there are not only targets (moles) that should be hit but also distractors (butterflies, or moles with hats) that should not be hit. We hypothesized that performance on the game should be a measure of response inhibition ability, which has been implicated as a factor in many types of psychopathology. We carried out an experiment (with 30 healthy participants) to test whether the serious game does in fact measure response inhibition by comparing game performance with a standard response inhibition task (the Go/No-Go discrimination task). Our results show that, with the distractors, the game does in fact assess response inhibition ability. We discuss the implications of this work for assessing executive functions in the elderly, and for evaluating recovery in neuro-rehabilitation, and declining ability to perform activities of daily living.

Keywords:

• cognitive assessments
• executive function
• go/no-go discrimination task
• response inhibition
• serious games

Game availability

The serious game used in this study was developed by the Interactive Media Lab at the University of Toronto, and Dr. Jacques Lee assisted in the design of the game and has led the research on clinical applications of the game. The game is freely available for research use provided that the source of the game is credited, and this paper is cited. We also request that researchers share their data involving the game with us so that we can both improve the game and also understand its scientific properties in more detail. Aside from the game that assesses response inhibition ability we had six other games, as of this writing, that each measure different constructs, including cognitive speed, working memory updating, and cognitive flexiblity. We expect to have more games available in the near future. Researchers who would like to use the response inhibition game (and/or other games for assessing cognitive functions) for research purposes should contact Mark Chignell ([email protected]) and Tiffany Tong ([email protected]).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the AGE-WELL National Centre of Excellence (Project WP 6.1).