title: Simple verbal analogies test: normative data on a short task exploring abstract thinking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The simple verbal analogies test (SVAT) is a short neuropsychological task requiring few minutes of administration that explores inductive verbal abstract thinking. It already showed a good specificity and sensitivity in discriminating normal controls from probable Alzheimer's disease patients. Verbal working memory, semantic knowledge and memory and word-finding ability are also involved in performing analogies. The aim of this study is to provide the normative values of this test in a sample of normal controls and corrections of raw scores and equivalent scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We determined the normative values of SVAT in a sample of 424 normal controls to provide corrections of raw scores and equivalent scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SVAT is a useful test to assess executive functions, working memory and to discriminate between cognitive deterioration and normal aging.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Ospedale Bellaria, via Altura 3, 40139, Bologna, Italy, roberto.gallassi@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gallassi
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sambati
authors.forename: Michelangelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanzani Maserati
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poda
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oppi
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Matteis
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology*; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*