Every AIBL study participant undergoes a comprehensive range of tests. Cognitive and assessments are performed by trained staff and typically range between one and two hours.

All participants complete a detailed questionnaire regarding family medical history (including family history of psychiatric disorders, dementia, and other neurological illnesses), personal medical history, medication use and smoking, and questions about current and past alcohol and illicit drug use.

The tests comprising the neuropsychological battery were selected on the basis that together they covered the main domains of cognition that are affected by Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias. These tests were chosen so that results from our participants were comparable with those from other similar large studies, and all are internationally recognised as having good evidence of their reliability and validity.

Readers who would like more information about our procedures or test battery are invited to contact the Clinical & Cognitive Group leader Kathryn Ellis.

neuropsychology battery

  • memory/learning
    California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II)
    WMS Logical memory (LM)
  • language
    Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT)
    Boston Naming Test (BNT)
  • working memory
    WAIS-III Digit Span (DS)
  • attention
    WAIS-III Digit Symbol-Coding (DS-C)
  • executive functioning
    Stroop
  • spatial processing
    Complex Figure of Rey
  • premorbid intellect
    Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR)
    see Australian WTAR pronunciation guide [WAV file]
  • cognitive change
    CogState battery
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clinical measures

  • Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale (HADS)
  • Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), 15 item version
  • Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR)
  • Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
  • Informant Questionnaire of Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCode)

references

  • Delis, D., Kramer, J., Kaplan, E. and Ober, B. (2000). California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
  • Delis, D. C., Kaplan, E. and Kramer, J. H. (2001). The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS). San Antonio TX: Psychological Corporation.
  • Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E. and McHugh, P. R. (1975). "Mini-mental state". A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189-198.
  • Meyers, J. E. and Meyers, K. R. (1995). Rey Complex Figure Test and Recognition Trial. Professional Manual: Psychological Assessment Resource, Inc.
  • Saxton, J., et al. (2000). Normative data on the Boston Naming Test and two equivalent 30-item short forms. Clin Neuropsychol, 14, 526-534.
  • Strauss, E., Sherman and Spreen, O. (2006). A compendium of neuropsychological tests: Administration, norms, and commentary (3rd Ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Wechsler, D. (1945). A standardised memory scale for clinical use. Journal of Psychology, 19, 87-95.
  • Wechsler, D. (1997). Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third edition (WAIS-III). San Antonio TX: Psychological Corporation.
  • Wechsler, D. (2001). Wechsler Test of Adult Reading: Examiner's Manual. San Antonio, Texas: The Psychological Corporation.