The Oxford Digital Multiple Errands Test (OxMET): Validation of a Simplified Computer Tablet Based Multiple Errands Test

Impairments in executive functioning are common following Acquired Brain Injury, though there are few screening tools which present a time efficient and ecologically valid approach to assessing the consequences of executive impairments. We present the Oxford Digital Multiple Errands Test (OxMET), a novel and simplified computer-tablet version of a Multiple Errands Test.We recruited 124 neurologically healthy controls and 105 stroke survivors to complete the OxMET task. Normative data and internal consistency were established from the healthy control data. Convergent and divergent validation was assessed in a mixed subset of 158 participants who completed the OxMET and OCS-Plus. Test-retest reliability was examined across a mixed subset of 39 participants. Finally, we investigated the known-group discriminability of the OxMET.The OxMET demonstrated very high internal consistency, and stable group level test-retest performance as well as good convergent and divergent validity. The OxMET demonstrated high sensitivity and good specificity in overall differentiation of stroke survivors from controls. The Oxford Digital Multiple Errands Test is a brief, easy to administer tool, designed to quickly screen for potential consequences of executive impairments in a virtual environment shopping task on a computer tablet. Initial normative data and validation within a chronic stroke cohort is presented.

A Computational Approach for the Assessment of Executive Functions in Patients with Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder

Previous studies on obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) showed impairments in executive domains, particularly in cognitive inhibition. In this perspective, the use of virtual reality showed huge potential in the assessment of executive functions; however, unfortunately, to date, no study on the assessment of these patients took advantage of the use of virtual environments. One of the main problems faced within assessment protocols is the use of a limited number of variables and tools when tailoring a personalized program. The main aim of this study was to provide a heuristic decision tree for the future development of tailored assessment protocols. To this purpose, we conducted a study that involved 58 participants (29 OCD patients and 29 controls) to collect both classic neuropsychological data and precise data based on a validated protocol in virtual reality for the assessment of executive functions, namely, the VMET (virtual multiple errands test). In order to provide clear indications for working on executive functions with these patients, we carried out a cross-validation based on three learning algorithms and computationally defined two decision trees. We found that, by using three neuropsychological tests and two VMET scores, it was possible to discriminate OCD patients from controls, opening a novel scenario for future assessment protocols based on virtual reality and computational techniques.