Three words - Three shapes: A clinical test of memory

Three Words - Three Shapes was designed as an easy "bedside'' test for elde rly patients that assesses verbal and nonverbal memory within the same moda lity. In the present study, it was administered to patients with probable A lzheimer's disease (PRAD), a control group of non-demented older subjects ( NC) and a group of patients with Korsakoff's amnesia (KA). Incidental recal l and several other measures of learning, retention and recognition differe ntiated control from PRAD and KA subjects. PRAD and KA subjects' performanc e was similar, but there were some material-specific interactions. This tes t is relatively easy and some of the derived measures could prove useful in staging amnesia progression beyond the earliest stages of PRAD when more d ifficult tests yield floor effects.