Three words three shapes: A clinical test of memory

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Psychology

Background:

• Assessing memory in elderly patients is crucial for diagnosing cognitive decline.
• Existing memory tests may have limitations, especially in early stages of diseases like Alzheimer's.
• The Three Words - Three Shapes test was developed as a simple bedside tool for verbal and nonverbal memory.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the Three Words - Three Shapes test in distinguishing between patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (PRAD), Korsakoff's amnesia (KA), and non-demented controls (NC).
• To explore the utility of derived measures from this test in assessing learning, retention, and recognition.
• To determine if the test can aid in staging amnesia progression, particularly in later stages of PRAD.

Main Methods:

• The Three Words - Three Shapes test was administered to three groups: patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (PRAD), non-demented older control subjects (NC), and patients with Korsakoff's amnesia (KA).
• Performance was assessed using measures of incidental recall, learning, retention, and recognition.
• Statistical analysis was employed to compare performance across the groups.

Main Results:

• The Three Words - Three Shapes test successfully differentiated control subjects from both PRAD and KA patients.
• Performance between PRAD and KA subjects was largely similar, though some material-specific interactions were observed.
• Measures of incidental recall, learning, retention, and recognition were key differentiating factors.

Conclusions:

• The Three Words - Three Shapes test is a practical bedside assessment for elderly patients.
• The test demonstrates utility in distinguishing between cognitive impairment in PRAD and KA.
• Derived measures may be valuable for staging amnesia progression, especially when other tests exhibit floor effects in later disease stages.