Testing cognitive function in elderly populations: the PROSPER study

• Published in: Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry Vol. 73; no. 4; pp. 385 - 389
• Main Authors: Houx, P J, Shepherd, J, Blauw, G-J, Murphy, M B, Ford, I, Bollen, E L, Buckley, B, Stott, D J, Jukema, W, Hyland, M, Gaw, A, Norrie, J, Kamper, A M, Perry, I J, MacFarlane, P W, Meinders, A Edo, Sweeney, B J, Packard, C J, Twomey, C, Cobbe, S M, Westendorp, R G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01-10-2002; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: Age; Biological and medical sciences; Cognition & reasoning; Cognition disorders in old age; cognition testing; Cognition. Intelligence; Cognitive ability; Dementia; Diagnosis; Education; elderly people; Evaluation; Examinations; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Memory; Neuropsychological tests; Neuropsychology; Older people; practice effects; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychometrics; reliability; Validity; Human; Performance evaluation; Evaluation scale; Memory; Reference; Attention; Standardization; Neuropsychological test; Psychometrics; Cognition; Test reliability; Intertrial interval; Test validation; Sensitivity; Elderly
• ISSN: 0022-3050; 1468-330X
• DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.73.4.385

Objectives: For large scale follow up studies with non-demented patients in which cognition is an endpoint, there is a need for short, inexpensive, sensitive, and reliable neuropsychological tests that are suitable for repeated measurements. The commonly used Mini-Mental-State-Examination fulfils only the first two requirements. Methods: In the PROspective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk (PROSPER), 5804 elderly subjects aged 70 to 82 years were examined using a learning test (memory), a coding test (general speed), and a short version of the Stroop test (attention). Data presented here were collected at dual baseline, before randomisation for active treatment. Results: The tests proved to be reliable (with test/retest reliabilities ranging from acceptable (r=0.63) to high (r=0.88) and sensitive to detect small differences in subjects from different age categories. All tests showed significant practice effects: performance increased from the first measurement to the first follow up after two weeks. Conclusion: Normative data are provided that can be used for one time neuropsychological testing as well as for assessing individual and group change. Methods for analysing cognitive change are proposed.