FAQs
How do I choose which tests are suitable for my study?
We provide guideline test batteries that cover the main cognitive domains typically of interest for particular research areas, but these should be tailored to create a battery optimised for your study aims and requirements. The exact battery of tests you use will depend on the population group being tested, the hypothesis of your study, the cognitive domains you are interested in measuring, your desired test battery length, and any pharmacological agents being investigated. The CANTAB tests are available in a number of different variants to accommodate different patient populations. For expert advice on which tests would be most appropriate for your study, please contact a member of our Science Team.
Recommended CANTAB Test Batteries
CANTAB Connect Test Selector
Can I use CANTAB technology to assess cognitive domains?
Yes. CANTAB technology is the leading software for the assessment of cognition and has been used to investigate over 100 separate cognitive disorders. The cognitive domains assessed using CANTAB technology include memory, attention, processing speed, visuospatial function and executive function. We have also developed tests of immediate and delayed verbal recall and recognition memory, and emotional decision making tests to assess information processing, impulse control and risk-taking.
Can I retest participants using CANTAB technology?
The majority of the CANTAB tasks currently on the CANTAB Connect platform are suitable for repeated testing. Only one test is not recommended for repeated testing (the Intra-Extra Dimensional Set-Shift task) and this is due to the ‘Eureka’ moment that occurs during the test, which will affect performance on any subsequent visits.
Our automated cloud-based platform enables new stimuli allocation for each visit, minimising the subject from showing learning effects to the stimuli. By automatically creating parallel variants, you can be sure that any signal obtained from your study will not be due to the learning or familiarisation of the same stimuli sets. Moreover, for tasks where there are strict parameters for the stimuli sets, such as our Verbal Recognition Memory (VRM) task, the platform correctly matches the frequency and word length of the stimuli used across all the visits, ensuring every visit has the same stimuli set characteristics.
For further advice on retesting subjects, please contact a member of our Science Team.
What normative data does the CANTAB technology contain?
Adult normative data is currently available in CANTAB Connect Research for selected tests, variants and outcome measures. Please contact us for further information.
Our normative data is for guidance purposes only and should never be used as a replacement for a matched control sample; watch our video to find out more.
Where can I find literature on CANTAB tests?
Search the CANTAB Bibliography for details of all the papers that have been published using the CANTAB tests. The search functionality allows you to search on a number of different criteria, including test, therapeutic area and publication.
How were the CANTAB tests originally developed?
The CANTAB tests were developed based on animal paradigms to facilitate cross-species studies of cognition. The tests have been validated in behavioural and psychopharmacological studies in healthy human volunteers and in a range of patient groups.
What languages are available in the CANTAB software?
The majority of the CANTAB tasks are language- and culture-independent meaning that a subject’s cultural background should not influence performance on the tasks. The only exception is the Verbal Recognition Memory (VRM) and the Affective Go/No Go (AGN) tasks as they contain language-dependent stimuli.
In CANTAB Connect, the instructions are administered via an automated voiceover, which is currently available in over 45 languages. Please contact the Support Team for further details of which languages are currently supported for each CANTAB test.
Voiceover translations are available upon request. Get in contact for a quote.
Our legacy CANTAB systems require a researcher to administer the instructions using a standardised script. The task scripts are provided in English within the Test Administration Guide, and are available in a number of other languages upon request. If you are using a legacy system and would like the scripts in another language, please contact the Support Team.
How do I reference the CANTAB software?
When referencing CANTAB in your research, please use the following:
CANTAB® [Cognitive assessment software]. Cambridge Cognition (2019). All rights reserved. www.cantab.com
Which iPad models are validated for use with CANTAB Connect Research?
Please contact the Support Team for a full list of all the iPads that are currently validated for use with CANTAB Connect Research.
