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Objective: To determine whether cognitive learning potential measured with the dynamic Wisconsin Card Sorting Test has added value in predicting rehabilitation outcome in elderly patients post-stroke after controlling for age, ADL independence at admission, global cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms., Methods: Participants were patients with stroke admitted to a geriatric rehabilitation unit. ADL independence (Barthel Index) at discharge was used as measure for rehabilitation outcome. Predictor variables included age, ADL independence at admission, global cognitive functioning (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale) and cognitive learning potential measured with the dWCST., Results: Thirty participants were included. Bivariate analyses showed that rehabilitation outcome was significantly correlated with ADL independence at admission ( r  = 0.443, p  = 0.014) and global cognitive functioning ( r  = 0.491, p  = 0.006). Regression analyses showed that the dWCST was not an independent predictor of rehabilitation outcome. ADL independence at admission was the only significant predictor of rehabilitation outcome (beta = 0.480, p  = 0.007)., Conclusions: Cognitive learning potential, measured with the dWCST has no added value in predicting rehabilitation outcome in elderly patients post-stroke. ADL independence at admission was the only significant predictor of rehabilitation outcome., Registration Number Netherlands Trial Register: Trial NL7947.

Currently, there is no valid and feasible dynamic test available for assessing learning potential in elderly stroke patients. We designed a dynamic version of the Clock Drawing Task (dCDT) which we compared to the dynamic Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (dWCST). The dWCST has shown adequate validity in adult patients with brain injury but has a long administration time. Participants were 47 stroke patients admitted to a geriatric rehabilitation unit. All participants completed the dCDT, the mean administration time was 7 min. 90.7% of the participants were able to complete the dWCST, the mean administration time was 36 min. The numerical learning potential indices of the dCDT were not significantly correlated. Based on the dCDT, 70.2% of the participants were classified as high achiever, 10.6% as strong learner, 19.2% as poor learner, and none as decliner. The numerical learning potential indices of the dWCST correlated significantly. Based on the dWCST, 5.3% of the participants were classified as high achiever, 42.1% as strong learner, 50% as poor learner, and 2.6% as decliner. The learning potential indices of the dCDT and those of the dWCST were not significantly correlated, indicating poor convergent validity of the dCDT. The results provide no clear support for the use of the dCDT in elderly stroke patients. The dWCST does show adequate validity and feasibility in the elderly stroke population, despite longer administration time. Future research should focus on examining the validity of the dCDT in a larger sample as well as examining the predictive validity of the dWCST.