1. Neurocognitive Assessment
ד"ר יהושע נאמן
שנה"ל

2. Current Conceptualizations of Cognitive Function
Lateral Specialization for Content
Left Hemisphere: Verbal Content
Right Hemisphere: Visual-Spatial Content
Lateral Specialization for Processing Style
Left Hemisphere: Serial and Analytic Style
Right Hemisphere: Global and Syncretic Style

3. Current Conceptualizations of Cognitive Function
Cortical Localization
Applicable to a few functions
Point versus general localization
Network
Appropriate for most others
Broadly applicable even to generally localized functions

4. Current Conceptualizations of Cognitive Function
Highly Localized Functions
Sensory Perception (Somatosensory Cortex)
Basic Motor Control (Primary Motor Cortex)
Language Comprehension (Wernicke’s Area)
Motor Speech (Broca’s Area)
Prosody

5. Current Conceptualizations of Brain Function
Networks
Attention & Concentration
Language ( L frontal & parietal lobes, thalamus, basal ganglia, cerebellum)
Visual-Spatial Processing (R temporal & parietal lodes)
Learning & Memory (entorhinal cortex, dentate gyri, hippocampi: new learning)
Executive Functions (frontal lobes, temporal lobes, basal ganglia, cerebellum)

6. Minimally Adequate Neurocognitive Assessment
Orientation
Attention & Concentration
Language Functions
Visual-Spatial Functions
Praxis
Learning & Memory
Executive Functions

7. MMSE and its Advantages
Brief
Repeatable
Widely accepted
Easily-administered
Norms for virtually all populations

8. MMSE and its Shortcomings
10 of 30 points are in orientation domain
Poor measurement of strategic functions such as attention and comprehension; reading and writing; object naming; praxis; and verbal short-term memory
No measurement of strategic functions such as verbal fluency, executive functions

9. Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE)
‘Mini-Mental Plus’ points
~20 minutes to administer
Hebrew version
Major shortcoming: insufficient attention to executive functions

10. Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE)
Mathuranath PS, Nestor PJ, Berrios GE, Rakowicz W & Hodges JR. (2000). A brief cognitive test battery to differentiate Alzheimer’s disease & fronto-temporal dementia. Neurology 55:
Newman JP. (2005) Brief cognitive assessment in Hebrew: Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination. Israel Medical Association Journal 7:451-7.

11. Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE)
For assessment of executive functions, consider adding the Frontal Assessment Battery
Dubois B, Slachevsky A, Litvan I & Pillon B. The FAB: A frontal assessment battery at bedside. Neurology 2000;55:

12. Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE)
Hebrew version URL address:
English version URL address:

19. Thank you.