DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE LOCATION LEARNING TEST (LLT) - A TEST OF VISUOSPATIAL LEARNING DESIGNED FOR USE WITH OLDER ADULTS AND IN DEMENTIA

The Location Learning Test (LLT) is a brief, new measure of visuo-spat ial learning that has been developed for use with older adults and in dementia. It does not require fine motor control, verbal responses, or complex instructions. The validity of the LLT was established by comp aring the performance of three groups of subjects: normal elderly cont rols, patients with Alzheimer's disease and patients with vascular dem entia. There were significant differences between normal subjects and those with dementia, including those with mild dementia (MMSE greater than or equal to 20). Performance on the LLT was not predicted by prem orbid IQ or age, but did correlate highly with the MMSE (R = .77). A c ut-off score was selected which yielded a sensitivity of 100%, specifi city of 82.8%, and a positive predictive value of 83.3%. Two groups of dementia patients were found; those who were able to improve their pe rformance through learning and those who were not. The ability to lear n was not predicted by degree of cognitive impairment as measured by t he MMSE. Female subjects with dementia performed significantly worse t han male subjects with dementia and this effect was not a consequence of level of impairment as measured by MMSE, premorbid IQ (NART), or di agnosis. Normative data is currently being collected.