Here are two charts which represent the results of neuropsychological and memory testing.
• Chart A is the DRS-2, which is an acronym for Dementia Rating Scale—Second Edition. It measures five dimensions of Dementia. Subtests include: Attention; Initiation/Perseveration; Construction; Conceptual; and Memory. There is also a Composite/ Total score which is an average of all five of the subtests. Scale scores are found on the left and right columns of this graph. A scale score of 8 to 12 is average, with 10 being exactly average. On this particular graph four/five subtests fall within the average range. The Memory subtest falls within the impaired range (impaired is any score that falls within the lowest 2nd percentile). The total score on this profile falls within the borderline range (lowest 7th percentile). The obvious conclusion is that this patient has a severe memory impairment, but that other domains of neurocognitive functioning are average or mildly limited.
• Chart B is the CVLT 3, which is an acronym for California Verbal Learning Test. This instrument measures both immediate verbal memory, as well as delayed verbal memory. Lists of words are read four times, and the patient is asked to verbally recall the words from this list. Performance is reported on the four immediate responses. This test also uses scaled scores with 10 being average. As you can see, the first four administrations of this word list find that the patient’s scores are in the borderline range (lowest 7th percentile). This would represent at least a moderate decline in immediate memory, but not an impairment which would need to be at the lowest 2nd percentile. The last three data points represent delayed memory. The patient is asked to count backwards from 30 to one. This is an interference task. They are then asked to repeat the word list after this task, and their performance is the first data point in delayed memory. Ten minutes later they are asked to repeat the word list again, and this is the second data point. Finally, they are given clues as to what category the words were in, and asked to name the words from the list that was read to them four times that fall within these categories. Reviewing this profile finds that the patient has a mild to moderate decline in immediate verbal memory, and a severe impairment in delayed verbal memory.
