Assessing Executive Function Using a Computer Game: Computational Modeling of Cognitive Processes

摘要

Early and reliable detection of cognitive decline is one of the mostimportant challenges of current healthcare. In this project we developed anapproach whereby a frequently played computer game can be used to assess avariety of cognitive processes and estimate the results of the pen-and-paperTrail-Making Test (TMT) - known to measure executive function, as well asvisual pattern recognition, speed of processing, working memory, andset-switching ability. We developed a computational model of the TMT based on adecomposition of the test into several independent processes, eachcharacterized by a set of parameters that can be estimated from play of acomputer game designed to resemble the TMT. An empirical evaluation of themodel suggests that it is possible to use the game data to estimate theparameters of the underlying cognitive processes and using the values of theparameters to estimate the TMT performance. Cognitive measures and trends inthese measures can be used to identify individuals for further assessment, toprovide a mechanism for improving the early detection of neurological problems,and to provide feedback and monitoring for cognitive interventions in the home.