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Measuring Episodic Memory Across the Lifespan: NIH Toolbox Picture Sequence Memory Test

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2014

Sureyya S. Dikmen ,
Patricia J. Bauer ,
Sandra Weintraub ,
Dan Mungas ,
Jerry Slotkin ,
Jennifer L. Beaumont ,
Richard Gershon ,
Nancy R. Temkin  and
Robert K. Heaton
Sureyya S. Dikmen*
Affiliation:
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
Patricia J. Bauer
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
Sandra Weintraub
Affiliation:
Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
Dan Mungas
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, California
Jerry Slotkin
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
Jennifer L. Beaumont
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
Richard Gershon
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
Nancy R. Temkin
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurological Surgery and Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
Robert K. Heaton
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, California
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Sureyya S. Dikmen, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, 325 Ninth Avenue, Box 359612, Seattle, WA 98104. E-mail: dikmen@uw.edu
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Abstract

Episodic memory is one of the most important cognitive domains that involves acquiring, storing and recalling new information. In this article, we describe a new measure developed for the NIH Toolbox, called the Picture Sequence Memory Test (PSMT) that is the first to examine episodic memory across the age range from 3 to 85. We describe the development of the measure and present validation data for ages 20 to 85. The PSMT involves presentation of sequences of pictured objects and activities in a fixed order on a computer screen and simultaneously verbally described, that the participant must remember and then reproduce over three learning trials. The results indicate good test–retest reliability and construct validity. Performance is strongly related to well-established “gold standard” measures of episodic memory and, as expected, much less well correlated with those of a measure of vocabulary. It shows clear decline with aging in parallel with a gold standard summary measure and relates to several other demographic factors and to self-reported general health status. The PSMT appears to be a reliable and valid test of episodic memory for adults, a finding similar to those found for the same measure with children. (JINS, 2014, 20, 1–9)

Keywords

Episodic memoryLearningTest developmentNIH toolboxValidationCognition
Type
Special Series
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 20 , Issue 6 , July 2014 , pp. 611 - 619
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2014 

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