Assessing the discriminant ability, reliability, and comparability of multiple short forms of the boston naming test in an Alzheimer's disease center cohort

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20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The Boston Naming Test (BNT) is a commonly used neuropsychological test of confrontation naming that aids in determining the presence and severity of dysnomia. Many short versions of the original 60-item test have been developed and are routinely administered in clinical/research settings. Because of the common need to translate similar measures within and across studies, it is important to evaluate the operating characteristics and agreement of different BNT versions. Methods: We analyzed longitudinal data of research volunteers (n = 681) from the University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Center longitudinal cohort. Conclusions: With the notable exception of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) 15-item BNT, short forms were internally consistent and highly correlated with the full version; these measures varied by diagnosis and generally improved from normal to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. All short forms retained the ability to discriminate between normal subjects and those with dementia. The ability to discriminate between normal and MCI subjects was less strong for the short forms than the full BNT, but they exhibited similar patterns. These results have important implications for researchers designing longitudinal studies, who must consider that the statistical properties of even closely related test forms may be quite different.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)215-227
Number of pages13
JournalDementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders
Volume39
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 18 2015

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Keywords

  • Alzheimer's disease
  • Clinical diagnosis
  • Clinical neuropsychology
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Cohort studies
  • Dementia and neuropsychology
  • Design, analysis, interpretation of data
  • Longitudinal assessment
  • Mild cognitive impairment and dementia
  • Neuropsychiatric assessment

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geriatrics and Gerontology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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