title: Do the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery episodic memory measures discriminate amnestic mild cognitive impairment?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although visual recognition memory and visuospatial paired associates learning has been shown to be impaired in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), the sensitivity and specificity of the visual memory tests used to identify aMCI are not well defined. The current study attempted to analyze the sensitivity and specificity of three visual episodic memory tests (Pattern Recognition Memory [PRM], Delayed Matching to Sample [DMS], and Paired Associated Learning [PAL]) from the CANTAB, in differentiating aMCI patients from control healthy participants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy seven aMCI patients and 85 cognitive normal controls aged over 50 years performed the PRM, DMS, and PAL tests. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to study the relationships between aMCI and visual memory measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The three Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery measures significantly predicted aMCI. The optimal predictive model combined the total percent correct responses for PRM and DMS with the PAL total errors (six shapes adjusted), with a sensitivity of 72%, specificity of 83%, and achieved predictive accuracy of 80%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visual episodic memory tasks such as those involved in the PRM, DMS, and PAL tests (included in the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery) may sensitively discriminate aMCI patients from normal controls. These tests may be useful for correct diagnosis of aMCI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Onésimo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Juncos-Rabadán
authors.forename: Arturo X
authors.initials: AX
authors.lastname: Pereiro
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Facal
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reboredo
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lojo-Seoane
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000647:Amnesia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
keywords: assessment; cognitive impairment; learning; recognition memory; visual memory