Assessing visuoconstructional performance in AD, MCI and normal elderly using the Beery Visual-Motor Integration Test

This study evaluated the Beery Visual-Motor Integration Test (VMI) as a measure of construction ability in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Construction deficits are an early sign of Alzheimer's disease. Commonly used tests of construction abilities are complex, often intimidating to impaired elders, and lack a range of items. The VMI has items ranging from very easy to difficult, allowing even impaired patients to enter task set, and elderly norms are available. It has not yet been validated for use in diagnosis of AD or MCI. Two patients groups (n = 43 MCI and 40 AD) recruited from a memory clinic and a non-demented control group (n = 43) recruited from the community were administered a battery of neuropsychological measures including the VMI. Results revealed that the VMI is useful for discriminating AD from MCI. Qualitative errors produced on the VMI provide additional information beyond the standard score about the patient's cognitive status.