New study finds link between slow reaction time and early death

A new study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, has found that adults who have slow reaction times have a higher risk of an early death.

Reaction time was studied because it reflects how well the central nervous system is working. It also reflects basic mental skills, such as how quickly a person is able to process information.

In a reaction time test, participants have to press a button as soon as they see an image appear on a computer monitor. An example of a test similar to the one used in this study can be found here.

In the new study, researchers analyzed data from more than 5,000 patients in the US aged between 20 and 59. In the early 1990s, the participants underwent a reaction time test, and researchers followed them over the next 15 years to record which participants had died and which survived.

Of the people in the study, 378 (7.4%) had died in the 15-year period. Cross-referencing this data with results from the reaction time test, the researchers found that the participants who logged slower reaction times were 25% more likely to have died.

When analyzing the results, socio-economic background, age, sex and the ethnic group of the participants was taken into account, as well as lifestyle. So the researchers do not think these factors could have biased the results.

What can reaction times tell us about a person's future health?