Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Date of Graduation
Spring 2019
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (BS)
Department
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Advisor(s)
Erin Piker
Cynthia O'Donoghue
Cara Meixner
Abstract
Vestibular dysfunction, or impairments in the inner ear and/or brain structures that process sensory information and help control balance, has a high correlation with cognitive deficits, or problems with mental processes. This relationship negatively affects daily activities and quality of life in persons that live with vestibular dysfunction. Though there is sufficient research proving the relationship, few studies have applied that information in ways to better help the population with vestibular dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of a cognitive assessment battery (a set of correlated assessments delivered in one session) tailored to measuring performance in the specific cognitive domains that are affected by vestibular dysfunction, and to determine its practicality for clinical and research use. A thorough review of the literature was conducted to determine which tests exist that assess the specific cognitive domains that may be affected by vestibular disorders: attention, memory, executive function, language, visuospatial skills. The Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test (CLQT) was found to be the most appropriate, as it measures performance in these domains. In order to determine the practicality of the assessment, the CLQT was administered to a college population and an older population who were tested and found to have no vestibular abnormalities. The use of a validated objective measurement tool will improve the quality of research and the ability of clinicians to identify and address cognitive deficits and measure treatment effectiveness in vestibular patients.
Recommended Citation
Morales, Brynn, "The feasibility of standardized cognitive assessments for vestibular patients" (2019). Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019. 702.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/honors201019/702
