How to Interpret the Results of a Cognitive Abilities Test

Cognitive ability is the way the brain acquires knowledge through perception, reasoning, intuition and memory. Even healthy aging can change the brain and its cognitive abilities. Researchers have studied normal cognitive aging. These studies indicate that cognitive tests may not be the best way to assess cognitive status in healthy older adults.

Cognitive Testing

• Neuropsychologists use several standardized questionnaires to assess cognitive impairment and test cognitive ability. These questionnaires are administered to patients with illnesses or injuries that affect the brain or to the subjects of cognitive research studies. They can be administered by a technician under the supervision of a neuropsychologist. These questionnaires screen for cognitive impairment and evaluate cognitive abilities through verbal fluency, verbal ability, non-verbal reasoning, memory and intelligence.

Images of the Brain

• Magnetic resonance imaging produces a three-dimensional image of the brain that shows its size and volume. The image is analyzed with computer software that measures the regions and inner areas of the brain. This image analysis can show low and high degrees of atrophy of the brain.

Interpretation of Results

• Interpreting a cognitive abilities test is not as straightforward as reading the results of, for example, a blood cholesterol test. The interpreter makes correlations between the size and volume of brain regions and cognitive ability tests to assess cognition. Other factors such as age, gender and medical and family history are important factors. In older adults, prior mental ability and prior brain size must also be considered. Accurate interpretation of these results require the expertise of a clinical neuropsychologist to interpret the brain images, the cognitive test results and other factors to assess cognitive status.