2. Why?
They are interesting and can be useful in
characterizing weakness/deficits in various
cognitive disorders.
They always have about 10 questions on the
RITE that we almost always get wrong.
We might actually use them in real life.
Get an idea of some of the neat Neuropsyc
tests.
3. Evaluating Intelligence
Wechsler Adult Intellignce Scale (WAIS-III)--
IQ test
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST)-- tests
executive functioning and reasoning
5. WAIS-IV (2008)
Intelligence: “The global capacity of a person to act purposefully, to
think rationally, and to deal effectively with his/her environment.”
Verbal Comprehension Scale: similarities, vocabulary, information
( and comprehension)
Working Memory Scale: digit span, arithmetic (and letter-numbering
sequence)
Perceptual Reasoning Scale: block design, matrix reasoning, visual
puzzles (and picture completion & figure weights)
Processing speed Scale: Symbol search, coding, (and cancellation).
7. WAIS-IV: Verbal
Comprehension Index (VCI)
Similarities: abstract verbal reasoning (how are a car and
bicycle alike?)
Vocabulary: degree of learning/comprehension/ability
to verbally express (what is a chair?)
8. WAIS-IV: Verbal
Comprehension Index (VCI)
Similarities: abstract verbal reasoning (how are a car and
bicycle alike?)
Vocabulary: degree of learning/comprehension/ability
to verbally express (what is a chair?)
Information: gen info acquired from culture (e.g. “Who
is the Vice President of USA?”)
9. WAIS-IV: Verbal
Comprehension Index (VCI)
Similarities: abstract verbal reasoning (how are a car and
bicycle alike?)
Vocabulary: degree of learning/comprehension/ability
to verbally express (what is a chair?)
Information: gen info acquired from culture (e.g. “Who
is the Vice President of USA?”)
Comprehension: abstract social conventions, rules and
expressions (e.g., “What does ‘the grass is always
greener on the other side’ mean?)
10. WAIS-IV: Working Memory
Index (WMI)
Arthimetic: concentration on math problems
(eg: How many 30 cent match books can you
get for two dollars?)
11. WAIS-IV: Working Memory
Index (WMI)
Arthimetic: concentration on math problems
(eg: How many 30 cent match books can you
get for two dollars?)
Digit Span: attention, concentration, mental
control (eg: repeat # forwards/backwards)
12. WAIS-IV: Working Memory
Index (WMI)
Arthimetic: concentration on math problems
(eg: How many 30 cent match books can you
get for two dollars?)
Digit Span: attention, concentration, mental
control (eg: repeat # forwards/backwards)
Letter-Number Sequencing: attention and
working memory (eg: repeat sequence R-3, F-1,
C-2, in numerical order, then in alphabetical)
13. WAIS-IV: Perceptual
Reasoning Index
Block design: spatial perception/visual
abstract processing & problem solving (Frontal/
parietal; Autism/ Aspergers patients do better)visual
defects
14. WAIS-IV: Perceptual
Reasoning Index
Block design: spatial perception/visual
abstract processing & problem solving (Frontal/
parietal; Autism/ Aspergers patients do better)
Matrix reasoning: nonverbal abstract problem
solving, inductive reasoning, spatial reasoning
15. WAIS-IV: Perceptual
Reasoning Index
Block design: spatial perception/visual
abstract processing & problem solving (Frontal/
parietal; Autism/ Aspergers patients do better)
Matrix reasoning: nonverbal abstract problem
solving, inductive reasoning, spatial reasoning
Visual Puzzles: non-verbal reasoning
16. WAIS-IV: Perceptual
Reasoning Index
Block design: spatial perception/visual
abstract processing & problem solving (Frontal/
parietal; Autism/ Aspergers patients do better)
Matrix reasoning: nonverbal abstract problem
solving, inductive reasoning, spatial reasoning
Visual Puzzles: non-verbal reasoning
Picture completion: ability to quickly perceive
visual defects
18. WCST
Subject is given a stack of cards and told to sort
them out but is not given any rules.
During the sorting subject is told if sorting is
correct or incorrect.
Subject then has to figure out the rules based
on the “corrects” and “incorrects” and then
appropriately sort the cards
Once the subject gets the rules right, they are
then changed and process is repeated.
19. WCST
Tests cognitive flexibility
and abstract thought
Sensitive to frontal lobe
dysfunction
may be abnormal in
patients with
schizophrenia or some
structural abnl (eg:
caudate lesions)
22. MMPI: Validity Scales
L-scale (lie scale)- ppl TRIN & VRIN (detect
trying to present self in inconsistencies)
positive way
Fb-scale (items that
F-scale (faking good or less than 10% of gen
bad) pop. support- if score
high- subject is not
K-scale (defensiveness) paying attention)
subtler than L-scale
Fs-scale (over
?-scale (unanswered) reporting somatic sxs)
23. Stroop Color Naming
Test
Measures selective attention, cognitive
flexibility, and processing speed.
Abnl in dementias, neurodegen dz, brain
damage, ADHD, Schizophrenia, depression,
addictions
EEG & FMRI should correlate with inc activity
in frontal lobes, ant. cingulate gyrus and dorsal
prefrontal cortex.
24. Stroop Color Naming
Test
Three types of stimuli:
neutral (Red),
congruent (Red),
incongruent (Red)
30. Trail Making Test
Trail A: has numbers 1 to 25 spread across a
page and subject has to draw a trail from 1 to
25 (timed test).
Trail B: have to connect letters and numbers in
alternating pattern (timed test).
Can help identify general frontal lobe
(executive) dysfunction (esp. Trails B).
31. Random stuff..
Conner’s Continuous Performance Test: good for
assessing sustained visual attention; good for dx ADHD
Recognition Memory Test: measures word and face
recognition
PASAT (paced auditory serial addition task): tests
working memory and processing of speed of info;
sensitive to concussion effects
Rey-Osterrich Complex Figure: immediate/delayed
recall, eval memory & construction
Word Memory Test: good to test malingering (the actual
accuracy score is lower than would be for guessing so to
get it would have to intentionally give wrong answers.
32. Pop quiz hot shot!
A patient with moderate
Parkinson’s Disease
without dementia
would score poorly on
which component of the
WAIS?
Similarities
Vocabulary
Block Design
Arithmetic
Digit Span
