title: Computerised cognitive testing of individuals with Down's syndrome and Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although Alzheimer's disease neuropathology is present by age 40 years, in Down's syndrome, ante-mortem diagnosis is difficult. No standard for cognitive assessment is well established or easy to administer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a simple, widely available computerised test (NeuroTrax Moderate to Severe Impairment Assessment Battery, Mindstreams, Newark, NJ) to evaluate 14 patients in this population. Orientation, memory, executive function, verbal function and visual spatial function were evaluated every 6 months for 18 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean scaled scores in this longitudinal study were evaluated with repeated measures analysis of variance. Memory, executive function, verbal function and visual spatial function scores did not significantly change. There was no significant depression or anxiety on self-reported measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reproducibility of test results supports the reliability of this battery to quantify function and prospectively follow performance in this population over an 18-month period.
authors.affiliation: Yeshiva University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutman
authors.affiliation: School of Dental Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ethan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moskovic
authors.affiliation: Neurology, Mercy Medical Center, Rockville Centre, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jeret
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Down's syndrome; computerised testing; intellectual disability