Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 19, 2025

The 4 Mountains Test: A Short Test of Spatial Memory with High Sensitivity for the Diagnosis of Pre-dementia Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: October 13, 2016
Testing the Cognitive Reserve Index Questionnaire in an Alzheimer's Disease Population
Asabe E Garba1, George T Grossberg2, Kimberly R Enard1
1Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Background:
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States and has no cure or progression prevention. The Cognitive Reserve (CR) theory poses that constant brain activity earlier in life later helps to deter pathological changes in the brain, delaying the onset of disease symptoms.
Objective:
To determine the reliability and validity of the Cognitive Reserve Index questionnaire (CRIq) in AD patients.
Methods:
Primary data collection was done using the CRIq to quantify CR in 90 participants. Correlations and multivariable linear regressions were used to assess reliability and validity.
Results:
Reliability was tested in 34 participants. A Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.89 (p < 0.001) indicated a strong positive correlation. Validity was tested in 33 participants. A Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.30 (p = 0.10) indicated an insignificant weak positive correlation.
Conclusion:
The CRIq was found reliable. Gaining a better understanding of how CR tools can be used in various cognitive populations will help with the establishment of a research tool that is universally accepted as a true CR measure.
Related Concept Videos
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
Cognitive Development During Adulthood

