Reliability and usability of an internet-based computerized cognitive testing battery in community-dwelling older people

Cognitive decline is an early feature of neurodegenerative conditions. CogState has developed a game-like computerized test battery with demonstrated acceptability, validity, reliability, stability, efficiency and sensitivity to detecting cognitive decline in older people under supervised conditions. This study aimed to evaluate an internet-based version of this test when used remotely and self-administered in a cohort of healthy, community-dwelling older adults aged 55 and above over a 12month period at 1-3 monthly intervals. Test usability and reliability was examined in terms of acceptability, stability and reliability. Of 150 participants (age: 63.6+/-5.6, range 55-83years), 143 (95%) successfully completed a valid baseline test. Of these, 67% completed 3month and 43% 12months of testing. Technical difficulties were reported by 9% of participants. For those participants who completed 12months tests, all tasks showed moderate to high stability and test-retest reliability. This brief computerized test battery was shown to have high acceptability for baseline self-administered testing and moderate to high stability for repeated assessments over 12months. Attrition was high between baseline and 3months. These data suggest that this tool may be useful for high frequency monitoring of cognitive function over 6-12months, and deserves further evaluation.