Benton Visual Retention Test

The Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) is an individually administered test for
people aged from eight years to adulthood that measures visual perception and visual memory.
It can also be used to help identify possible learning disabilities among other afflictions that
might affect an individual's memory. Visual memory involves the ability to store and retrieve
previously experienced visual sensations and perceptions when the stimuli that originally
evoked them are no longer present. That is, the person must be capable of making a vivid visual
image in his mind of the stimulus such as a word, face, and picture and once that stimulus is
removed, be able to visualize or recall this image without help. Researchers have subdivided
visual memory into three main subsystems visual sensory memory, visual short-term memory,
and visual long-term memory. Visual sensory memory is also named iconic memory. Visual
short-term memory (STM) stores visual information for a few seconds so that it can be used in
the service of ongoing cognitive tasks. Compared with iconic memory representations, visual
STM representations are longer-lasting, more abstract, and more durable. Short-term memory
for visual materials is highly limited in capacity, but long-term memory for visual stimuli has
no clear capacity limit. After viewing 600 photographs of scenes and events, subjects
recognized 92% of images when tested one day later, and 63% of images when tested one year
later. Such dramatic differences in capacity are vividly depicted in the titles of two widely cited
articles, “Learning 10,000 Pictures” (Standing, 1973), and “The Magical Number 4 in Short-
term Memory” (Cowan, 2001).

A majority of experiments highlights a role of human posterior parietal cortex in visual

working memory and attention. A person can only hold in mind a minute fraction of the visual
scene. These mental representations are stored in visual short-term memory. Activity in the
posterior parietal cortex is tightly correlated with the limited amount of scene information that
can be stored in visual short-term memory.[4] These results suggest that the posterior parietal
cortex is a key neural locus of our impoverished mental representation of the visual world.The
posterior cortex might act as a capacity-limited store for the representation of the visual scene,
the frontal/prefrontal cortex might be necessary for the consolidation and/or maintenance of
this store, especially during extended retention intervals. Occipital lobes receive and process
visual information. The occipital lobes also process colors and shapes. Whereas the right
occipital lobe interprets images from the left visual space, the left occipital lobe interprets
images from the right visual space. Damage to the occipital lobes can permanently damage
visual perception. Damage to the occipital lobe is characterized by loss of visual capability and
the inability to identify colors both important processes in visual memory.

Hallucinatory palinopsia, which is a dysfunction of visual memory, is caused by

posterior visual pathway cortical lesions and seizures, most commonly in the right parietal lobe.
One common group of people that have visual memory problems are children with reading
disabilities. It was often thought that disabilities are caused by failure to perceive the letters of
a written word in the right order. However, studies show it is more likely that it is caused by a
failure to encode and process the correct order of letters within the word. Deficits in visual
memory can also be caused by disease and/or trauma to the brain. These can lead to the patient
losing their spatial memory, and their visual memory for specific things. For example, a patient
“L.E.” suffered brain damage and her ability to draw from memory was severely diminished,
whilst her spatial memory remained normal. Other patients represent the opposite, where
memory for colors and shapes is unaffected but spatial memory for previously known places
is greatly impaired.These case studies show that these two types of visual memory are located
in different parts of the brain and are somewhat unrelated in terms of functioning in daily life.

Visual memory deficits are also prominent in neurological conditions such as

Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Among many cognitive function deficits, memory impairment is
an initial and cardinal symptom in Alzheimer disease (AD). In most cases, verbal and visual
memory scores correlate highly, but in some cases the deficit of verbal or visual memory is
very different from that of the other memory. Earlier investigations of Alzheimer's disease
reported a general deficit in the central executive component of WM ( Baddeley et al., 1991),
rather than in maintenance. More recent work, however, has emphasised a reduction in WM
capacity, highlighting a difficulty in storage linked to atrophy in temporo-parietal regions (
Stopford et al., 2012). One important line of research has provided evidence that the ability to
bind object features together in WM might be critically affected. In their pioneering studies,
Parra and colleagues reported that binding in visual short-term memory (VSTM) of simple
object features such as colour and shape or colour and colour is selectively disrupted in
Alzheimer's disease .

The Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) is a widely used test of visual memory,
visual perception, and/or visual construction. Now in its fifth edition , the test consists of three
equivalent forms (Forms C, D, and E). Most items include three geometric forms presented
along a horizontal plane, making the test particularly sensitive to visual neglect. It is an
individually administered test for people aged from eight years to adulthood that can also be
used to help identify possible learning disabilities among other afflictions that might affect an
individual's memory. The individual examined is shown 10 designs, one at a time, and asked
to reproduce each one as exactly as possible on plain paper from memory. The test is untimed,
and the results are professionally scored by form, shape, pattern, and arrangement on the paper.
Arthur Benton developed the test to provide a shorter assessment for immediate nonverbal
memory to supplement the popular digit span test, and selected a format that was resistant to
both emotional and subject-tester influence. The test was published in 1946, and is now
currently in its 5th edition.

The Benton Test is sensitive to many forms of brain impairments and diseases, but it is
difficult to diagnose a particular disease through the test. In fact, according to the test manual,
a high number of a single category of error should not be used as a diagnosis, but should lead
to further testing. High amounts of perseverations, for example, suggests frontal lobe damage,
while the omission of peripheral designs suggests potential brain trauma, especially in the right
parietal lobe. Overall performance does not seem to distinguish those with unilateral left or
right hemisphere damage. Nevertheless, examiners have shown to be able to discriminate
among perceptual, memory, and motor impairments based on analysis of the test results.
Dementia, brain lesions, thalamic stroke, and Alzheimer's disease are among the afflictions that
have been shown to greatly reduce an individual's BVRT score. Both the copy and memory
versions of the test are especially sensitive to dementia, and may help identify individuals who
are at risk for developing Alzheimer's later. In addition, learning disabilities among children
are able to be identified through the Benton Test. In 1983, the Benton Test was included in the
Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NCTB) to identify the effects of chemical exposure on the
nervous system and has since been used to assess chemical exposure in the workplace.

According to the Benton Test manual, test-retest reliability of the Benton Test is 0.85,
and alternate form reliabilities range from 0.79 to 0.84. Correlation between immediate and
delayed memory recall (Administration type A and D, respectively) ranges from 0.40 to 0.83,
depending on the combinations of forms used. Included with the manual are standardized
results for children, adolescents, and adults, though each administration method have their own
standardization data.[5] Total errors on the test have been shown to increase with age,
especially after the age of 70
METHOD

Aim: To access the participants Visual reproduction ability using Benton Visual Reproduction
test.

Materials Required: BVRT Stimulus Booklet

BVRT Response Booklet

BVRT measuring template

Writing materials and Stopwatch

Administrator

Name: AA

Age: 23

Gender: Female

Participant Details

Name: AB

Age: 23

Gender: Female

Education: Master’s Degree

Administration: Seat the participant comfortably and establish rapport. Open the response
booklet for design drawing. Please the stimulus booklet in front of the examinee so that the
design in the lower right corner is up right to the examining. After keeping the stimulus booklet
in the correct position give the following instruction. “I am going to show you a picture you
should look at it for 10 seconds. Then I will cover the design and you should draw what you
saw. Make the drawing as much like the one on the page”. If necessary, repeat the image and
clear the subjects doubt but do not give any additional information or insight. Encourage the
participant to work as fast he or she post op turn this page to design one and begin timing. At
the end of 10 seconds turn the page to cover the design. Make sure that the examinee does not
begin to draw the design before the exposure time has elapsed. Present eight subsequent design
without comments. Before introducing design 3(The first to include two major figures and
peripheral minor figures). “Do not forget to draw everything you see”. If the examinee omits
the peripheral minor figure in his or her reproduction of design 3 repeat the reminder before
introducing design 4. The examinee is permitted to use erasers and to make correction. No
spontaneous praise is offered but you can reassure if the examinee asked about the quality of
his or her performance.

Scoring

Table 4.1 shows on scores administration A

ESTIMATED PREMORBID EXPECTED NUMBER ERROR SCORE

IQ SCORES (15-49)
110 and above 9
95-109 8
80-94 7
70-99 6
60-69 4-5
59 and below 3-4

Scoring of BVRT is objective and is based on explicit principles. Two scores for describing an
examee performance are possible. One score is based on the number of correct reproductions
and is called the number correct score, a score of 1 will giver. Second is the Number error
score- provide the frequency of specific types of error made by the examinee. The specific
types of errorrs are groped into six major categories Omissions, Distortions, Perseverations,
Rotations, Misplacement and Size Error. Within these categories are 56 Specific error types.
Categorizing errors according to the central , left or right increase the number of errors to more
than double the number if errors were not specified

Omissions ( and Addition)

M: Omission of the single major figure of Design 1 or 2: occurs when the examinee completely
omits the figure or draws only one or two lines which are not a recognizable attempt to
reproduce it

MR: Omission of a right major figure (ie, in the examinee's right visual field), occurs when the
examinee completely omits the figure or draws only one or two lines which are not a
recognizable attempt to reproduce it
ML: Omission of a left major figure occurs in the same manner as an MR

PR: Omission of a right peripheral figure

PL: mission of a left peripheral figure

Add: Addition of a figure not present in the stimulus design and not scorable as a distortion or
perseveration (see criteria for distortions and perseverations).

Distortions

SM: Inaccurate reproduction of the single major figure of Design 1 or 2 by simple substitution
(e.g., square for oblique parallelogram; pentagon for hexagon)

SMR: Inaccurate reproduction of a right major figure by simple substitution (e.g., circle for
square; pentagon for triangle)

SML: Inaccurate reproduction of a left major figure by simple substitution; occurs in the same
manner as an SMR

SPR: Inaccurate reproduction of a right peripheral figure by simple substitution

SPL: Inaccurate reproduction of a left peripheral figure by simple substitution

IM: Inaccurate reproduction of the single major figure of Design 1 or 2 other than by simple
substitution or rotation (e.g., omission, addition, or misplacement of an internal detail of the
figure; fragmentation of the figure)

IMR: Inaccurate reproduction of a right major figure other than by simple substitution or
rotation; occurs in the same manner as an IM

IML: Inaccurate reproduction of a left major figure other than by simple substitution or
rotation; occurs in the same manner as an IM

IPR: Inaccurate reproduction of a right peripheral figure other than by simple substitution or
rotation (e.g., fragmentation; multiple reproductions of the figure)

IPL: Inaccurate reproduction of a left peripheral figure other than by simple substitution or
rotation; occurs in the same manner as an IPR

Perseveration
A perseveration is the simple substitution of the addition that is reproduction of a figure from
the immediately preceding stimulus design.

PerM: Perseveration on Design 2 of the figure presented I Design 1 or when the figure in either
design is drawn more than once in the reproduction of Design

PerMR: Perceveration in the reproduction of a right major figure

PerML: Perceveration in the reproduction of a left major figure

PerPR: Perceveration in the reproduction of a Right peripheral figure

PerPR: Perceveration in the reproduction of a left peripheral figure

Rotation

A rotation error is defined as a change in the orientation of the stimulus figure

180M: A plane rotation of approximately 180° of the single major figure of Design 1 or 2

90M: A plane rotation of approximately 90° of the single major figure of Design 1 or 2

45M: A plane rotation of 25° -65° of the single major figure of Design 1 or 2

180MR: A plane rotation of approximately 180° of a right major figure

180ML: A plane rotation of approximately 180° of a left major figure

90MR: A plane rotation of approximately 90° of a right major figure

90ML: A plane rotation of approximately 90° of a left major figure

45MR: A plane rotation of 25-65° of a right major figure

45ML: A plane rotation of 25°-65° of a left major figure

180PR: A plane rotation of approximately 180° of a right peripheral figure

180PL: A plane rotation of approximately 180° of a left peripheral figure

90PR: A plane rotation of approximately 90° of a right peripheral figure

90PL: A plane rotation of approximately 90° of a left peripheral figure

45PR: A plane rotation of 25-65° of a right peripheral figure

45PL: A plane rotation of 25°-65° of a left peripheral figure

Misplacement

Misplacement are the inaccurate reproduction of the spatial relationship between the figures of
a design.Onle one Misplacement error is scored for any single design

Rev: Left-right reversal of the relative positions of the two major figures when both figures are
reproduced correctly

Nov: Reproduction of overlapping major figures as nonoverlapping or as overlapping at the

wrong juncture

Ov: Reproduction of non-contiguous figures as contiguous or overlapping

MisPR: Misplacement of a right peripheral figure so that it is to the left of between, within,
above, or below the major figures

MisPL: Misplacement of a left peripheral figure so that it is to the right of between, within,
above, or below the major figures

UPR: Displacement of a right peripheral figure upward

UPL: Displacement of a left peripheral figure upward

DPR: Displacement of a right peripheral figure downward

DPL: Displacement of a left peripheral figure downward

Size Error

SzMR: Distortion in the relative size of the right major figure: The height of the right major
figure is less than three-fifths the height of the left major figure with both figures measured at
the point of maximal height.

SzML: Distortion in the relative size of the left major figure; occurs in the same manner as an
SzMR
SzPR: Distortion in the relative size of the right peripheral figure: The height of the peripheral
figure is greater than three-fifths the height of the larger of the two major figures with all figures
measured at the point of maximal height

SzPL: Distortion in the relative size of the left peripheral figure; occurs in the same manner as
an SzPR

RESULT

Premorbid IQ of the participant Obtained score and Expected correct score of the participant

PREMORBID IQ OF THE OBTAINED SCORE EXPECTED SCORE

PARTICIPANT
110 and above 10 10

The Obtained score of the subject in BVRT is 10 and the corresponding Expected score is 10.

DISCUSSION

The aim of the experiment was to access the participants Visual reproduction ability using
Benton Visual Reproduction test. Name of the subject was AA. She is 23-year-old and
currently pursuing her Master’s Degree. The subject was well groomed, cooperative and
articulated herself clearly. and she has no history of mental or physical illness.

Subjects scores on the BVRT indicate she is not suffering from visual perception and visual
memory deficits. The subject has accurately reproduced all ten designs correctly without errors.
Since Benton Test is sensitive to many forms of brain impairments and diseases, the
performance of the subject might also indicate the absence of serious visual memory and
constructional deficit. For example, Studies have reported that high amounts of perseverations,
suggests frontal lobe damage, since the subject haven’t made any sort of errors in BVRT
including Perseveration errors, we can deny the possibility of Frontal lobe deficits. Likewise,
the absence of errors regarding the omission of peripheral designs suggests lack of potential
brain trauma, especially in the right parietal lobe.
 Behavioural observation of subject also indicates absence of observable symptoms
concerning potential brain damage. The subject was calm and cooperative throughout the
experiment and also completed the reproduction of each design without much time delay.

CONCLUTION: Subjects scores on the BVRT indicate the absence of visual perception and
visual memory deficits.

References

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Cowan N, “The magical number 4 in short-term memory: A reconsideration of mental storage

capacity.” Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 2001, 24(1): 87–114.

Standing L. “Learning 10,000 pictures.” The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.

1973, 25(2): 207–222.

Catts, Hugh William; Kamhi, Alan G. (2005). Language and Reading Disabilities.
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Todd, J, & Marois, R. (2004). Capacity limit of visual short term memory in human posterior
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