EXECUTIVE DYSFUNCTION SCREENING TEST FOR NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

• Published in: International journal of neuroscience Vol. 117; no. 4; pp. 507 - 518
• Main Authors: PARKS, RANDOLPH W., THIYAGESH, SUBHA N., LEVINE, DANIEL S., LEE, KWANG-HYUK, BHAKER, RAJINDER, MYSORE, ASHOK, INGRAM, LEANNE, YOUNG, CLAIRE, BIRKETT, PAUL, PEGG, EMMA, WOODRUFF, PETER W. R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 01.04.2007; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adult; Alzheimer Disease - physiopathology; Alzheimer's Disease; analogies; Analogies Understanding Test; Choice Behavior - physiology; executive; Female; Humans; Intelligence Tests; Male; Middle Aged; Neuropsychological Tests; Problem Solving - physiology; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - physiopathology; screening test
• ISSN: 0020-7454; 1563-5279; 1543-5245
• DOI: 10.1080/00207450600773525

The Analogies Understanding Test (AUT) was developed as a brief cognitive screening task of executive problem solving. A few of the test items at the beginning are "facilitated" as a means of engaging patients. Individuals with schizophrenia and mild Alzheimer's Disease (AD) made significantly less correct responses than their control groups. The schizophrenia patients, but not AD patients, made significantly more perseverations than controls on the AUT. As expected, AUT performance in schizophrenia patients correlated with the Wisconsin Card Sorting test measures. Preliminary findings suggest that the AUT test may be useful as a measure of executive dysfunction in neuropsychiatric patients.