Table 1 Summary of the sensorimotor and visual-attention tests in the study
Mental functions | Name | Procedure | Scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
Visual search | Visual search task (VST) | Participants are asked to visually search the location of a grey circle (i.e., the target) surrounded by distractors (see below) and point to its location on a computer screen. Each of the following tests consists of three trials. | Â |
Simple (VST-S) | Distractors consisting of 16 grey squares and 16 black circles | The time (sec) to correctly point to the target | |
Complex (VST-C) | Distractors consisting of 32 grey squares and 32 black circles | ||
Background (VST-B) | Same as VST-C but the background is filled with mesh dots | ||
Sustained attention | Sustained attention to response task (SART) | Participants are asked to respond to a series of 120 numbers (1–9) sequentially displayed on a computer screen by pressing ‘space’, except for the number ‘3’, upon which they need to halt pressing. |  |
Accuracy of ‘Go’ trials (SART-G) | The proportion of correct response (i.e., to press ‘space’ upon the presence of numbers (1–2, 4–9) | ||
Accuracy of ‘NoGo’ trials (SART-NG) | The proportion of correct response (i.e., to halt pressing ‘space’) upon the presence of number ‘3’ | ||
Accuracy of all trials (SART-T) | The proportion of correct response for both Go and NoGo trials | ||
Stereopsis | Random Dot 2 Stereo Acuity Test (SAT) | Participants are asked to wear a pair of polaroid glasses and look at 12 sets of random dots pictures sequentially. The 12 sets differ in visual disparities from 400 to 12.5Â s arc. Each set consists of three pictures and participants need to correctly identify the one showing stereoscopic form. | The number of sets that one can identify a stereoscopic form |
Hand steadiness | Hand Steadiness Test (HST) | Participants are asked to manipulate a metal stylus without touching the surrounding metal sides. | Â |
Groove-Type (HST-G) | Moving a stylus along a gradually narrowing groove (25Â cm) | The time (sec) to complete moving through the groove successfully | |
Hole-Type (HST-H) | Inserting the metal stylus into a set of holes in gradually smaller hole sizes sequentially | The number of holes to insert successfully | |
Manual (tweezer) dexterity†| O’Connor Tweezer Dexterity Test (TDT) | Participants are asked to insert pins in a testing board of 100 holes (10 rows X 10 columns) sequentially using a tweezer. | The total time (sec) to complete inserting 100 pins |
Manual (finger) dexterity | Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT) | Participants are asked to insert a pin into a hole of the pegboard sequentially as fast as possible. |  |
Dominant hand (PPT-D) | Inserting the pins using the dominant hand within 30Â s | The number of pins inserted successfully | |
Non-dominant hand (PPT-ND) | Inserting the pins using the non-dominant hand within 30Â s | ||
Both hands (PPT-2) | Inserting the pins using both hands within 30Â s | ||
Assembly (PPT-A) | Assembling a pin, a collar, and two washers into a set, using both hands, within 60Â s | The number of pieces (pin, collar, or washer) assembled successfully | |
Finger force generation | Finger pinch force (FPF) | Participants are asked to hold the pinch force tester and press the testing button using the thumb with maximal force repeatedly until the maximal force is reached. | Â |
Dominant hand (FPF-D) | Holding the tester and pressing using the dominant hand | The maximal force (kg) is recorded as the maximal performance in consecutive tests | |
Non-dominant hand (FPF-ND) | Holding the tester and pressing using the non-dominant hand |