California verbal learning test

Introduction

A good measure of recent verbal memory & new learning in elderly subjects. It is similar to Rey auditory verbal learning test & the. Buschke-Fuld selective reminding test.

The test provides 16 words which are repeatedly rehearsed by the subject until they are memorized (or until a plateau is reached). 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.

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