The Framingham Heart Study clock drawing performance: normative data from the offspring cohort.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is widely used for cognitive assessment.
• Existing normative data for the CDT is limited.
• A need exists for updated normative data in diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normative data for an expanded Clock Drawing Test (CDT) scoring protocol.
• To analyze CDT performance in a large community-based sample of middle to older adults.
• To provide a benchmark for cognitive function assessment in aging individuals.

Main Methods:

• Administered the CDT to 1476 participants from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort.
• Utilized a scoring protocol that quantified errors in specific drawn features.
• Calculated total error scores and subscale scores (outline, numerals, time-setting, center, other).

Main Results:

• Higher education levels correlated with fewer errors in time-setting, numeral placement, and "other" subscales.
• Older age was associated with increased errors across multiple CDT subscales.
• Significant educational differences in CDT performance were observed, particularly in younger age groups.

Conclusions:

• The study provides valuable normative data for CDT performance in a community cohort.
• CDT performance is influenced by age and education level.
• Further research is warranted to explore the expanded scoring system's utility in detecting preclinical dementia risk.