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OBAS Normative Data, March 2003
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The Oregon Brain Aging Study (OBAS) is a longitudinal study of healthy elders age 65 years and older that was begun in 1989.  At entry all participants lived independently in the community and had no evidence of dementia, neurological disease, depression, or other condition that might adversely affect cognition.   

Normative data for initial test scores for each age group are presented in the following tables.  At the time of the examinations, all participants had no history or evidence of brain disease and were functioning normally in their daily activities.  None showed evidence of questionable dementia or dementia.  The total sample included 209 participants with a mean education of 14.4 years (SD 2.68). 

Table 1.  Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).  Perfect score = 30.  Correlation with age, r =  -.44 (p <.0001); with education, r = .19 (p = .0049).

Age Sample MMSE
65-69 N=24 29.0 (0.86)
70-74 N=31 29.2 (0.90)
75-79 N=25 28.7 (0.94)
80-84 N=27 28.5 (1.67)
85-89 N=74 27.9 (1.50)
90-94 N=18 27.3 1.32)
95-99 N=7 27.3 (2.36)
100-105 N=3 25.7 (1.53)


Table 2. Boston Naming Test.  Perfect score = 60.  Correlations with age:  r  = -.36 (p <.0001); with education, r  = .19 (p = .0066).

Age Sample Boston Naming
65-69 N=23 55.6 (3.37)
70-74 N=30 54.9 (3.52)
75-79 N=25 54.8 (3.73)
80-84 N=25 54.6 (5.25)
85-89 N=69 51.1 (5.97)
90-94 N=16 50.8 (5.07)
95-99 N=6 51.0 (7.13)
100-105 N=3 48.7 (4.51)


Table 3. Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) abbreviated Boston Naming Test.  Perfect score = 15.  Correlation with age,  r = -.23 (p = .0008); with education, r = .08 (p = .2931).

Age Sample CERAD Boston Naming
65-69 N=24 14.3 (0.86)
70-74 N=31 14.3 (0.77)
75-79 N=25 14.5 (0.59)
80-84 N=25 14.2 (1.26)
85-89 N=68 13.9 (1.06)
90-94 N=20 14.0 (0.95)
95-99 N=6 13.0 (1.26)


Table 4. CERAD Word List.   Perfect scores: Acquisition = 30, Recall = 10, Recognition = 20.  Correlations with age, Acquisition, r = -.32 (p <.0001), Recall, r = -.39 (p <.0001); Recognition , r = -.18  (p = .0088); correlations with education, Acquisition, r = .08 (p = .2273), Recall, r = .059  (p = .3976); Recognition , r = -.12 (p = .0828).

Age Sample CERAD Acquisition Total Recall Recognition Total
65-69 N=24 22.7 (2.44) 7.54 (1.38) 19.7 (0.56)
70-74 N=31 20.9 (2.80) 7.16 (1.37) 19.4 (0.72)
75-79 N=25 19.2 (3.25) 6.12 (1.54) 19.2 (1.53)
80-84 N=27 18.8 (3.79) 6.15 (1.70) 19.0 (1.14)
85-89 N=73 18.2 (4.13) 5.74 (2.28) 19.1 (1.43)
90-94 N=18 18.4 (4.12) 5.12 (1.92) 19.1 (1.21)
95-99 N=7 18.9 (4.02) 4.29 (2.75) 17.7 (2.81)
100-105 N=3 17.3 (3.06) 4.33 (0.58) 19.3 (1.16)


Table 5. CERAD Constructional Praxis.  Perfect score = 11.  Correlations with age: r  = -.19  (p = .0222); with education, r  = .16  (p = .0615).

Age Sample Copy
65-69 N=19 10.3 (0.88)
70-74 N=25 10.3 (0.74)
75-79 N=22 10.2 (1.01)
80-84 N=19 10.0 (0.88)
85-89 N=33 10.0 (1.13)
90-94 N=17 9.5 (1.28)
95-99 N=3 9.7 (1.16)


Table 6. CERAD Constructional Praxis Recall.  Perfect score = 11.  Correlations with age:  r  = -.35  (p = .0047); with education, r  = .05  (p = .6858).

Age Sample Recall
65-69 N=1 10.0
70-74 N=6 9.2 (2.40)
75-79 N=9 7.6 (2.13)
80-84 N=17 7.6 (2.47)
85-89 N=19 6.8 (2.11)
90-94 N=8 7.2 (2.55)
95-99 N=4 5.5 (3.11)


Table 7. Crossing Off Test.  Perfect score = 96.  Correlations with age:  r  = -.34 (p <.0001); with education, r  = .09  (p = .2778).

Age Sample Items/second
65-69 N=9 1.95 (0.21)
70-74 N=20 1.72 (0.38)
75-79 N=29 1.63 (0.20)
80-84 N=24 1.73 (0.26)
85-89 N=53 1.62 (0.29)
90-94 N=15 1.38 (0.39)
95-99 N=6 1.61 (0.27)
100-105 N=2 1.29 (0.34)


Table 8. Odd Man Out.  Perfect score = 40.  Correlations with age:  r  = -.19  (p = .2258); with education, r  = .03 (p = .8405).

Age Sample Correct
75-79 N=6 35.2 (4.17)
80-84 N=15 30.5 (6.65)
85-89 N=12 32.6 (4.50)
90-94 N=6 32.7 (4.50)
95-99 N=2 32.0 (5.66)


Table 9. Stroop Test.  Perfect score = 100.  Correlations with age: r  = -.45  (p <.0001); with education, r  = .26  (p = .0107).

Age Sample Color-Word items in 45 seconds
70-74 N=7 40.7 (4.15)
75-79 N=15 33.5 (9.79)
80-84 N=24 28.5 (6.41)
85-89 N=26 31.1 (7.30)
90-94 N=16 24.2 (8.27)
95-99 N=3 29.0 (4.00)
100-105 N=2 23.0 (22.6)


Table 10. Symbol Digit Modalities Test, Oral Administration.  Correlation with age, r = -.57 (p <.0001); with education r = .18 (p = .1183).

Age Sample SDMT (oral)
70-74 N=6 54.2 (8.61)
75-79 N=10 44.7 (7.53)
80-84 N=20 42.6 (7.49)
85-89 N=20 38.2 (9.48)
90-94 N=14 35.5 (10.0)


Table 11. Animal fluency in one minute.  Correlation with age, r = -.17 (p = .0365); with education, r = .33 ( p <.0001).

Age Sample Animal Fluency
65-69 N=16 19.6 (4.49)
70-74 N=21 17.4 (2.78)
75-79 N=25 17.8 (3.66)
80-84 N=23 17.7 (4.92)
85-89 N=54 15.8 (4.99)
90-94 N=9 18.0 (4.00)
95-99 N=4 20.0 (5.23)
100-105 N=1 16


Table 12. Category Fluency (animal-fruit-vegetables).  Correlations with age:  r  = -.34 (p <.0001); with education, r  = .12 (p = .1360).

Age Sample Category Fluency
65-69 N=8 53.4 (12.1)
70-74 N=21 50.2 (9.70)
75-79 N=28 42.3 (6.92)
80-84 N=23 43.4 (9.16)
85-89 N=56 41.8 (9.23)
90-94 N=16 39.7 (8.88)
95-99 N=7 38.7 (8.06)
100-105 N=1 46.0


Table 13. Letter fluency (CFL).  Correlation with age, r = -.17 (p = .0365); with education, r = .33 ( p <.0001).

Age Sample Letter Fluency
65-69 N=14 40.4 (9.43)
70-74 N=32 36.1 (12.7)
75-79 N=26 39.2 (9.0)
80-84 N=18 41.1 (12.7)
85-89 N=27 32.7 (9.1)
90-94 N=11 34.2 (12.0)
95-99 N=3 38.3 (20.6)
100-105 N=1 20


Table 14. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) Digit Span.  Perfect score = 28.  Correlations with age:  r  = -.15  (p = .0414); with education, r  = .24 (p = .0007).

Age Sample Digit Span
65-69 N=22 14.4 (3.23)
70-74 N=29 13.8 (3.53)
75-79 N=28 14.3 (2.84)
80-84 N=24 15.0 (3.63)
85-89 N=68 13.8 (3.09)
90-94 N=15 12.3 (2.61)
95-99 N=6 10.8 (1.17)
100-105 N=3 13.7 (2.08)


Table 15. WAIS-R Digit Symbol.  Perfect score = 93.  Correlations with age:  r  = -.45 (p <.0001); with education, r  = .13 (p = .0885).

Age Sample Digit Symbol
65-69 N=18 46.4 (12.9)
70-74 N=28 42.2 (10.6)
75-79 N=27 42.9 (11.5)
80-84 N=20 36.9 (9.39)
85-89 N=60 35.3 (9.07)
90-94 N=15 29.3 (13.1)
95-99 N=4 29.2 (5.91)
100-105 N=2 25.5 (0.71)


Table 16. WAIS-R Block Design.  Perfect score = 51.  Correlations with age:  r  = -.58  (p <.0001); with education, r  = .20 (p = .0049).

Age Sample Block Design
65-69 N=25 33.6 (8.68)
70-74 N=31 28.1 (8.12)
75-79 N=25 28.2 (8.82)
80-84 N=27 22.7 (7.44)
85-89 N=73 19.6 (6.64)
90-94 N=17 18.5 (7.29)
95-99 N=6 18.2 (3.92)
100-105 N=3 10.0 (1.00)


Table 17. WAIS-R Picture Completion.  Perfect score = 20.  Correlations with age: r  = -.55  (p <.0001); with education, r  = .25 (p = .0003).

Age Sample Picture Completion
65-69 N=24 15.6 (2.26)
70-74 N=30 15.2 (1.90)
75-79 N=25 15.2 (2.63)
80-84 N=25 14.2 (2.50)
85-89 N=68 11.6 (3.32)
90-94 N=16 9.3 (3.89)
95-99 N=6 10.3 (1.97)
100-105 N=2 11.0 (1.41)


Table 18. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III Matrix Reasoning.  Perfect score = 26.  Correlations with age:  r  = -.58  (p < .0001); with education, r  = .40 (p = .0007).

Age Sample Matrix Reasoning
65-69 N=3 22.3 (2.08)
70-74 N=4 15.2 (6.24)
75-79 N=3 12.7 (10.1)
80-84 N=20 11.6 (4.48)
85-89 N=21 10.5 (4.49)
90-94 N=12 7.17 (3.81)
95-99 N=2 6.00 (1.41)
100-105 N=1 5.00


Table 19.  Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) Logical Memory.  Perfect scores Logical Memory I = 50, II = 50.  Correlations with age: Logical Memory I, r  = -.40 (p <.0001); Logical Memory II, r  = -.46 (p <.0001); with education, Logical Memory I,   r  = .16 (p = .0287); Logical Memory II, r  = .12 (p = .1023).

Age Sample WMS-R Logical  Memory I WMS-R Logical Memory II
65-69 N=23 32.3 (5.82) 28.2 (6.43)
70-74 N=30 26.1 (6.20) 22.2 (7.33)
75-79 N=25 27.7 (6.31) 23.0 (7.20)
80-84 N=23 25.9 (8.54) 20.1 (8.66)
85-89 N=60 23.3 (7.11) 18.2 (7.61)
90-94 N=15 20.1 (7.03) 14.2 (6.68)
95-99 N=6 22.3 (5.16) 12.0 (3.90)
100-105 N=1 32.0 29


Table 20. WMS-R Visual Reproduction.  Perfect scores Visual Reproduction I = 41, II = 41.  Correlations with age: Visual Reproduction I, r  = -.40  (p <.0001); Visual Reproduction II, r  = -.46 (p <.0001); with education, Visual Reproduction I,   r  = .16 (p = .0287); Visual Reproduction II, r  = .12 (p = .1023).

Age Sample WMS-R Visual Reproduction I WMS-R Visual Reproduction II
65-69 N=24 34.0 (4.04) 29.7 (5.91)
70-74 N=31 33.1 (4.04) 27.4 (5.86)
75-79 N=24 29.0 (6.08) 22.2 (7.78)
80-84 N=25 29.4 (5.70) 21.3 (9.19)
85-89 N=68 27.0 (6.00) 18.4 (8.59)
90-94 N=16 25.3 (5.58) 14.4 (7.56)
95-99 N=6 25.0 (6.23) 15.8 (12.7)
100-105 N=3 18.0 (6.00) 16.0 (10.1)


Table 21.  Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-III) Logical Memory.*  Perfect scores Logical Memory I = 75, II = 50.  Correlations with age: Logical Memory I, r  = -.37 (p <.0001); Logical Memory II, r  = -.39 (p <.0001); with education, Logical Memory I, r  = .26 (p = .0035); Logical Memory II, r  = .22 (p = .0159).

Age Sample Logical Memory I Logical Memory II
65-69 N=4 54.7 (6.95) 34.5 (3.87)
70-74 N=9 47.2 (10.9) 32.9  (9.23)
75-79 N=16 47.4 (9.56) 31.2 (7.89)
80-84 N=28 43.4 (8.63) 27.5 (6.69)
85-89 N=35 45.0 (8.95) 28.4 (7.20)
90-94 N=20 36.8 (8.80) 21.8 (8.21)
95-99 N=5 34.2 (12.1) 19.4 (11.0)
100-105 N=2 35.5 (6.36) 23.0 (2.83)

*Some participants had received the WMS-R prior to the WMS-III version. 


Table 22. WMS-III Face Recognition.  Perfect scores Face Recognition I = 48, II = 48. Correlations with age: Face Recognition I, r = -.24 (p = .0145); Face Recognition II, r = -.32 (p = .0009); with education, Face Recognition I, r = .12 (p = .2376); Face Recognition II, r = .08 (p = .4096).

Age Sample Face Recognition I Face Recognition II
65-69 N=2 34.5 (10.6) 39.0 (8.48)
70-74 N=7 33.3 (2.43) 35.8 (5.05)
75-79 N=16 32.4 (4.35) 33.8 (3.21)
80-84 N=25 33.8 (4.82) 34.2 (5.89)
85-89 N=28 32.2 (3.93) 33.8 (3.25)
90-94 N=18 30.3 (3.69) 31.9 (4.52)
95-99 N=3 31.7 (5.03) 28.3 (4.16)
100-105 N=2 23.0 (5.66) 26.0 (1.41)


Table 23. WMS-III Letter-Number Sequencing.  Perfect score = 21.  Correlations with age: r  = -.44  (p <.0001); with education, r  = .20 (p = .0373).

Age Sample Letter-Number Sequencing
65-69 N=4 11.7 (2.75)
70-74 N=9 10.3 (2.06)
75-79 N=15 9.7 (1.22)
80-84 N=27 8.6 (1.64)
85-89 N=33 9.2 (1.98)
90-94 N=20 7.6 (1.73)
95-99 N=4 7.0 (1.41)
100-105 N=2 7.0 (2.83)