Buschke-Fuld selective reminding test

Introduction

A good measure of recent verbal memory & new learning in elderly subjects. It is similar to Rey auditory verbal learning test & the California verbal learning test.

Procedure

The test provides 12 words which are selectively rehearsed by the subject until they are memorized. That is, only those words not recalled on the immediately preceding trial are presented. The subject then attends to an interference task or verbal list. Subsequently, after a delay, the subject is asked to recall the words.

When spontaneous recall is impaired, the examiner tests recognition by cueing the subject, or having the subject identify the words from a short list or in a short paragraph.

This strategy allows for the evaluation of various aspects of memory including: learning curve, sensitivity to interference, amount of new learning, recognition & retrieval.

Interpretation

In general, young adults miss only 1 or 2 words. Subjects over 70 years of age typically learn about 80% after rehearsal & retain about 70% of the learned words on delayed recall.

More general terms

• memory assessment