Stroke and cerebrovascular disease

Cognitive deficits are often seen with cerebrovascular disease¹. Our recommended cerebrovascular test battery assesses the key cognitive domains often impaired by the disease, as well as domains likely to be affected by medications and other interventions. The tests in the battery are sensitive to cognitive deficits across the spectrum of disease types and severities^2,3 and can detect even subtle cognitive impairment in sub-acute stroke when traditional pen/paper measures of cognition are insensitive³.

The tests within this battery measure the dysfunction in specific brain circuitry often impaired in patients and are firmly rooted in a scientific understanding of the pathophysiology of cerebrovascular disease.

Measures

• Episodic memory
• Working memory
• Executive function
• Processing speed

CANTAB Tests

• Motor Screening Task (MOT): 2 minutes
• Paired Associates Learning (PAL): 8 minutes
• Reaction Time (RTI): 3 minutes
• Spatial Working Memory (SWM): 4 minutes

Key References

Barquera S, Pedroza-Tobías A, Medina C, Hernández-Barrera L, Bibbins-Domingo K, Lozano R, Moran AE. Global Overview of the Epidemiology of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. Arch Med Res. 2015 Jul;46(5):328-38.

Seidel GA, Giovannetti T, Libon DJ. Cerebrovascular disease and cognition in older adults. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2012;10:213-41.

Barnett JH, Hachinski V, Blackwell AD. Cognitive health begins at conception: addressing dementia as a lifelong and preventable condition. BMC Med. 2013 Nov 19;11:246. doi: 10.1186/1741-7015-11-246.

Mavaddat N, Sahakian BJ, Hutchinson PJ, Kirkpatrick PJ. Cognition following subarachnoid haemorrhage from anterior communicating artery aneurysm: relation to timing of surgery. J Neurosurg. 1999 Sep;91(3):402-7 Jaillard A, Naegele B, Trabucco-Miguel S, LeBas JF, Hommel M. Hidden dysfunctioning in subacute stroke. Stroke. 2009 Jul;40(7):2473-9.

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1. _{Seidel GA, Giovannetti T, Libon DJ. Cerebrovascular disease and cognition in older adults. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2012;10:213-41.}
2. _{Mavaddat N, Sahakian BJ, Hutchinson PJ, Kirkpatrick PJ. Cognition following subarachnoid haemorrhage from anterior communicating artery aneurysm: relation to timing of surgery. J Neurosurg. 1999 Sep;91(3):402-7.}
3. _{Jaillard A, Naegele B, Trabucco-Miguel S, LeBas JF, Hommel M. Hidden dysfunctioning in subacute stroke. Stroke. 2009 Jul;40(7):2473-9.}