What is WCST?
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (Grant & Berg 1948) is the standard test for assessing cognitive flexibility and set-shifting — the ability to abandon a rule of thought and adopt a new one when circumstances change. Highly sensitive to dysfunction of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
Our simplified version uses 4 reference cards and changes the rule (shape / colour / number) after 8 consecutive correct answers. The primary indicator is the number of "perseverative errors" — attempts that continue to apply the old rule after it has changed. High perseverative errors suggest difficulties with behavioural adaptation, seen in frontotemporal dementia, frontal brain lesions, and certain psychiatric disorders.