Assessment of Confabulation in Patients with Alcohol-Related Cognitive Disorders: The Nijmegen–Venray Confabulation List (NVCL-20)

Abstract

Objective: Even though the first awareness of confabulations is often based on observations, only questionnaires and structured interviews quantifying provoked confabulations are available. So far, no tools have been developed to measure spontaneous confabulation. This study describes and validates an observation scale for quantifying confabulation behavior, including spontaneous confabulations, in clinical practice. Method: An observation scale consisting of 20 items was developed, the Nijmegen–Venray Confabulation List-20 (NVCL-20). This scale covers spontaneous confabulation, provoked confabulation, and memory and orientation. Professional caregivers completed the NVCL-20 for 28 Korsakoff (KS) patients and 24 cognitively impaired chronic alcoholics (ALC). Their ratings were related to the Dalla Barba Confabulation Battery (DBCB), Provoked Confabulation Test (PCT), and standard neuropsychological tests. Results: The categories of the NVCL-20 have “good” to “excellent” internal consistency and inter-rater agreement. The KS patients confabulated more (both spontaneously and provoked), and more memory and orientation problems were observed. Correlations with neuropsychological test scores showed that confabulations were associated with memory deficits, but not with intrusions or tests of executive dysfunction. Conclusions: The NVCL-20 is the first instrument that includes items addressing spontaneous confabulation. Administration is reliable, valid and feasible in clinical practice, making it a useful addition to existing confabulating measures.

Keywords:

• Spontaneous confabulation
• Provoked confabulation
• Memory and orientation
• Korsakoff’s syndrome
• Executive functioning
• Alcoholism.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the professional caregivers and the patients of the Centre of Excellence for Korsakoff and Alcohol-Related Cognitive Disorders of the Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry for their contribution. Special thanks go out to Dr. Arie Wester. Your contribution to the field was deeply appreciated.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.