Neuropsychological assessment of Alzheimer's disease

The CERAD neuropsychological battery has been found to be a valuable tool for clinical as well as research investigations and has contributed considerably to the identification and clinical understanding of AD. The CERAD data addressing effects of age, education, sex, race, and culture on neuropsychological performance are important in the clinical interpretation of cognitive performance in the elderly. Information on the performance of AD patients at different levels of severity of dementia has enhanced the reliability of clinical detection and staging of AD dementia over time. Studies addressing longitudinal changes on the CERAD neuropsychological measures have also helped to define the natural history of AD and provide insights into the limitations of various neuropsychological measures at different stages of the illness. The neuropsychological battery, although designed to assess AD, may be valuable in differential diagnosis of some dementias.