Normative performance of older individuals on the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R) according to ethno-racial group, gender, age and education level

Abstract

Objective

The Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R) provides a measure of verbal learning and memory. The aim of this study was to provide normative performance data on the HVLT-R for community-dwelling older individuals according to ethno-racial group, age, gender, and years of completed education, in Australia and the U.S.

Method

The ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) study recruited 19,114 generally healthy community dwelling individuals aged 70 years and over (65 years and over for U.S minorities), who were without a diagnosis of dementia and scored above 77 on the modified Mini-Mental State (3MS) examination. Included in the analysis presented here were 16,251 white Australians, and in the U.S. 1,082 white, 894 African American and 314 Hispanic/Latino individuals at baseline.

Results

Performance on each of the components of the HVLT-R (trials 1–3, total, learning, delayed recall, delayed recognition, percentage retention and recognition discrimination index [RDI]) differed by demographic variables. In country and ethno-racial stratified analyses, female gender, younger age and higher education were significantly associated with better total recall, delayed recall and RDI. Among white Australians these characteristics were also associated with better retention. Age, education and gender-specific reference values across ethno-racial categories were determined.

Conclusions

Ethno-racial, age, gender and education-stratified normative data from this large cohort of community-dwelling older individuals will serve as important reference standards in Australia and the U.S. to assess cognition in older individuals.

Keywords:

• Cognitive aging
• dementia
• Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R)
• normative data

Acknowledgements

A.G. Bayer provided aspirin and matching placebo. The authors acknowledge the dedicated and skilled staff in Australia and the Unites States for the conduct of the trial. The authors also are most grateful to the ASPREE participants, who so willingly volunteered for this study, and the general practitioners and medical clinics who support the participants in the ASPREE study. Trial Registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number Register (ISRCTN83772183) and clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01038583).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute on Aging and the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (grant number U01AG029824); the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia (grant numbers 334047 and 1127060); Monash University (Australia); the Victorian Cancer Agency (Australia). J.R. receives fellowship funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (fellowship number APP1135727).