Detection of MCI in the clinic: evaluation of the sensitivity and specificity of a computerised test battery, the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test and the MMSE.

Introduction: the sensitive detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults is an important problem that requires objective assessment. We evaluated whether the computerised cognitive test battery, CogState, was as sensitive to MCI as two well-validated 'paper-and-pencil' tests, the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT) and the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE).

Methods: these tests were administered with a subjective memory questionnaire and an 'Activities of Daily Living' scale to 21 individuals with MCI and 98 cognitively healthy controls matched for sex, education and IQ levels.

The effect of recent consumption of caffeine-containing foodstuffs on neuropsychological tests in the elderly.

We investigated the effect of recent intake of caffeine-containing foodstuffs (CCFS) on a group of elderly participants (age range 67-95 years) on a series of neuropsychological tests. There was no significant effect of CCFS intake on performance in any of the tests in the battery used. However, a significant interaction effect was found between age and CCFS consumption on scores of some neuropsychological tests.