About Neurocognitive Testing

Alpha Behavioral Care, P.A. offers a battery of computerized neurocognitive testing to assess attention deficit, dementia, cognitive impairment, brain injury, stroke, and substance abuse. These tests are called the CNS Vital Signs Neurocognitive Assessment Battery, and they are tailored for assessing the neurocognitive state of patients and study subjects. The application is designed to produce millisecond precision allowing for consisten and accurate measurement of minute cognitive changes, such as those associate with drug effects and cognitive impairment. The tests included in the application are the following:

Verbal Memory Test (Memory for words)

Visual Memory Test (Memory for geometric shapes)

Finger Tapping (Motor speed; Fine motor coordination)

Continuous Performance Test (Sustained attention; Choice reaction time)

Symbol Digit Coding Test (Complex attention; Visual-perception speed; Information processing speed)

Shifting Attention Test (Executive funtion shifting sets; Reaction time; Information processing speed)

Stroop Test (Executive function; Simple and choice reaction time; Information processing speed; Inhibition/Dis-inhibition)


Procedure

The CNS Vital Signs Neurocognitive Assessment Battery is administered on a computer. The test is self-directed. Test Administrators do not have to be in the testing room with the subject other than to set up the session.

Each test is preceded by an instruction window, which clearly presents the directions for executing the test. The complete battery of seven tests will take about 30 minutes to complete. By default, the application will administer all seven tests, but the test administrator has the option to choose only the tests deemed necessary. The application will function on Windows XP and Windows 2000 computer platforms. Testing is available in over 20 languages.