Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus and Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the ability of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), to separate the early stages of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) from Alzheimer’s disease (AD), both in comparison to each other and to healthy individuals (HI). Method: The RAVLT performance regarding learning, recall and recognition, was analyzed in three matched samples comprising 30 HI, 84 participants with AD and 84 with iNPH. The clinical samples were divided into two subgroups based on scores on the MMSE, High performers (27–30 points, n = 30) and Medium performers (18–26 points, n = 54). Results: Memory performance was significantly impaired in both clinical samples relative to HI, even in the comparisons with the subgroups consisting of only High-MMSE performers. Despite similar results on measures capturing learning, the iNPH patients outperformed AD patients on measures of recall and recognition. Conclusions: Learning impairment occurs early in iNPH and AD alike, when MMSE performance is still within normal limits. RAVLT measures of delayed recall and recognition are less affected in iNPH than in AD and may serve as differential diagnostic neuropsychological markers.

Keywords:

• Neuropsychology
• psychometrics
• memory
• dementia
• clinical decision-making

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to neuropsychologists Nora Balogh and Annika Renck Ljunggren, for valuable comments on the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests with grant funding or commercial interests.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.