title: Measuring attention in very old adults using the Test of Everyday Attention.
abstract: There is a need for validated measures of attention for use in longitudinal studies of older populations. We studied 249 participants aged 80 to 101 years using the population-based MOBILIZE Boston Study. Four subscales of the Test of Everyday Attention (TEA) were included, measuring attention switching, selective, sustained and divided attention and a neuropsychological battery including validated measures of multiple cognitive domains measuring attention, executive function and memory. The TEA previously has not been validated in persons aged 80 and older. Among participants who completed the TEA, scores on other attentional measures strongly with TEA domains (R=.60-.70). Proportions of participants with incomplete TEA subscales ranged from 8% (selective attention) to 19% (attentional switching). Reasons for not completing TEA tests included failure to comprehend test instructions despite repetition and practice. These results demonstrate the challenges and potential value of the Test of Everyday Attention in studies of very old populations.
authors: a College of Nursing and Health Sciences , University of Massachusetts Boston , Boston , MA , USA.
authors: Guusje
authors: G
authors: van der Leeuw
authors: a College of Nursing and Health Sciences , University of Massachusetts Boston , Boston , MA , USA.|b Division of General Medicine and Primary Care , Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Boston , MA , USA.|c Department of Medicine , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA.
authors: Suzanne G
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0427-1580
authors: SG
authors: Leveille
authors: d Institute for Aging Research , Hebrew SeniorLife , Boston , MA , USA.|e Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior , Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School , Providence , RI , USA.|f Department of Neurology , Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School , Providence , RI , USA.
authors: Richard N
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1049-218X
authors: RN
authors: Jones
authors: g Laboratory for Gait and Neurodynamics, Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology , Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center , Tel-Aviv , Israel.|h Department of Physical Therapy, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, and Sagol School of Neuroscience , Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel.
authors: Jeffrey M
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1608-0776
authors: JM
authors: Hausdorff
authors: c Department of Medicine , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA.|d Institute for Aging Research , Hebrew SeniorLife , Boston , MA , USA.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: McLean
authors: d Institute for Aging Research , Hebrew SeniorLife , Boston , MA , USA.
authors: Dan K
authors: DK
authors: Kiely
authors: d Institute for Aging Research , Hebrew SeniorLife , Boston , MA , USA.
authors: Margaret
authors: M
authors: Gagnon
authors: i Geriatric Neuropsychology Laboratory, Geriatric, Research, Education and Clinical Center , Brockton/West Roxbury Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center , Boston , MA , USA.|j Department of Psychiatry , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA.
authors: William P
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6078-7066
authors: WP
authors: Milberg
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001288:Attention; D001900:Boston; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: Aging; Attention; Cognitive function; Epidemiology; Neuropsychology