Investigating the Role of the Anti-Saccade Task in the Evaluation of Executive Functions: Correlations with Traditional Neuropsychological Tests and Complex Cognitive Tasks

The capability to suppress reflexive responses on behalf of voluntary motor activity is fundamental for everyday living. Inhibitory control and task-switching abilities, as cognitive functions, can be effectively measured by using neuropsychological tests and anti-saccade tasks. Participants must perform a voluntary saccade to a symmetrical, stimulus-absent position in order to complete the anti-saccade task, which involves inhibition of an automatic saccade toward a visual stimulus. Two conditions will be used for the task: saccade and anti-saccade. After receiving the stimulus indicating the necessary task, participants completed both tasks within the same experimental block. Additional cognitive tasks are included in the study to evaluate inhibitory control, task-switching abilities, and cognitive flexibility. These tasks include the Stroop task, which measures inhibitory control and task-shifting ability by requiring participants to inhibit the automatic responses to word meaning and focus on the text color. The Stop Signal task tests inhibitory control by examining the capability of suppressing pre-planned motor responses when the stimulus is presented. The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test measures more complex executive functions such as rule learning and cognitive flexibility, besides inhibitory control and task switching. The Go-No-Go task, which examines selective response, requires participants to inhibit the motor activity to a “no-go” signal and perform the activity to a “go” signal. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the neural mechanisms and cognitive processes that support anti-saccade performance by correlating the outcomes of computerized cognitive tests, such as the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop task, Stop Signal Task, and Go-No-Go task. Computerized tools were used to collect all the data. Through the anti-saccade task, Tobii eye-tracking was used, which uses a non-invasive infrared camera to capture eye movements on behalf of comprehending the temporal and spatial dynamics of saccadic reactions and accurate recording. The research presents a comprehensive approach to understanding the association between anti-saccade task performance and executive function abilities. By combining the behavioral and eye-tracking data, the study aims to provide light on the neurological and cognitive underpinnings of inhibitory control and task-switching. The results could help to improve techniques for evaluating and diagnosing executive function impairments, which could have uses in both clinical and research settings.