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Age and Graphomotor Decision Making Assessed with the Digital Clock Drawing Test: The Framingham Heart Study
Piers RJ, Devlin KN, Ning B, Liu Y, Wasserman B, Massaro JM, Lamar M, Price CC et al.. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2017-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Digital Clock Drawing Test (dCDT) technology enables the examination of detailed neurocognitive behavior as behavior unfolds in real time; a capability that cannot be obtained using a traditional pen and paper testing format. Objective Parameters obtained from the dCDT were used to investigate neurocognitive constructs related to higher-order neurocognitive decision making and information processing speed. The current research sought to determine the effect of age as related to combined motor and non-motor components of drawing, and higher-order decision making latencies. Methods A large group of stroke- and dementia- free Framingham Heart Study participants were administered the dCDT to command and copy with hands set for "10 after 11". Six age groups (age range 28-98) were constructed. Results Differences between age groups were found for total time to completion, total pen stroke count, and higher-order decision making latencies in both command and copy test conditions. Conclusion Longer age-related decision making latencies may reflect a greater need for working memory and increased self-monitoring in older subjects. These latency measures have potential to serve as neurocognitive biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and other insidious neurodegenerative disorders.
Key findings
- Results Differences between age groups were found for total time to completion, total pen stroke count, and higher-order decision making latencies in both command and copy test conditions.
Why it matters
This study used a digital Clock Drawing Test in stroke- and dementia-free participants and found age-related differences in total time to completion, pen stroke count, and higher-order decision making latencies. The authors suggest these latency measures have potential to serve as neurocognitive biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Alzheimer s Disease: journal h-index 218 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 49 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.5 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 16 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author David J. Libon: h-index 57 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Boston University: institution h-index 1,456 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 11 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29036819) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Piers, R. J., Devlin, K. N., Ning, B., Liu, Y., Wasserman, B., Massaro, J. M., et al. (2017). Age and Graphomotor Decision Making Assessed with the Digital Clock Drawing Test: The Framingham Heart Study. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-170444
Vancouver
Piers RJ, Devlin KN, Ning B, Liu Y, Wasserman B, Massaro JM, et al. Age and Graphomotor Decision Making Assessed with the Digital Clock Drawing Test: The Framingham Heart Study. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. 2017. doi:10.3233/jad-170444. PMID: 29036819.
BibTeX
@article{piers2017-29036819,
author = {Piers, R. J. and Devlin, K. N. and Ning, B. and Liu, Y. and Wasserman, B. and Massaro, J. M. and Lamar, M. and Price, C. C. and others},
title = {{Age and Graphomotor Decision Making Assessed with the Digital Clock Drawing Test: The Framingham Heart Study}},
journal = {Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.3233/jad-170444},
pmid = {29036819},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-170444}
}
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