Norms and the effects of demographic variables on a neuropsychological battery for use in healthy ageing Australian populations

Objective: The current study examined the performance of a healthy ageing p opulation on the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) neuropsychological test battery in order to determine norms for us e in an Australian setting. The effects of age, education, gender and mood on cognitive performance in healthy older individuals were also explored. Method: The CERAD neuropsychological battery was administered to a sample o f healthy elderly subjects (n = 243). Subjects also completed an anxiety in ventory and a depression scale. Means and standard deviations of different age, gender and education groups are reported as normative data. A Principa l Components Analysis (PCA) was also calculated. Linear regression was appl ied to the five factors extracted from the PCA using age, education, gender and mood as independent variables. Results: All recorded means were within 1 SD of those reported in the origi nal CERAD normative study. Five factors that loaded on measures of memory a nd learning, language, praxis and executive function were extracted. The in dependent variables age, education and gender all had significant effects o n cognitive performance. However, mood had no such effect. Conclusions: Risk factors for cognitive decline indicated by the CERAD batt ery include age, education and gender. Anxiety and depression are not assoc iated with CERAD cognitive performance. The CERAD battery is a valid and re liable neuropsychological tool that may assist in the detection and diagnos is of Alzheimer's disease in Australian populations.