D12 Neuropsychological evaluation

Title

The neuropsychological evaluation quantifies cognitive performance through a battery of standardized tests, expressing the result of each domain as a normalized score (z-score) with respect to a reference sample adjusted by age and educational level. A composite cognitive index can be constructed as a weighted average of the different domains evaluated, extending the general composite score formalism already introduced in the D7 clinical scales. Reaction time and its intra-individual variability are sensitive measures of processing speed and integrity of sustained attention, the latter directly extending the response variability index introduced in the ASD model (A11). Learning curves in episodic memory tests follow a form of exponential saturation with repeated trials, and the comparison between the estimated premorbid level (based on demographic and educational variables) and current performance allows the degree of acquired cognitive impairment to be quantified. Finally, the ecological validity of the assessment is established by correlating performance on the tests with actual functioning in activities of daily living.

ID:4308