Normal cognition and UDS 3.0 Neuropsychological Battery

 
   Lead Investigator:    Adam Parks
   Institution      :    University of Kansas Medical Center
   E-Mail           :    aparks5@kumc.edu
   Proposal ID      :    1386



   Proposal Description:
   Working with Dr. Suzanne Hunt                                                      The aim of this project is to establish updated normative reference scores for the UDSv3 neuropsychological tests utilizing robust norming procedures. While conventional UDSv3 norms were recently published, conventional norming procedures utilize participants classified as normal cognition at only a single timepoint and may include participants who have preclinical dementia but are not yet showing changes at the earliest stage in the disease process. By using a longitudinal sample, robust norming follows normal participants over time to verify that these individuals who were classified as normal remain normal.     The main hypothesis is that updating the UDSv3 normative reference scores using the robust norming procedure will provide a more sensitive sample to detect the subtle cognitive changes that occur in preclinical and early dementia. The main outcomes of interest are the neuropsychological test variables for the participants that remain normal over more than one timepoint. These variables will be aggregated, the psychometric properties will be analyzed, and the scores will be stratified by age and education. These scores will provide a more robust normative reference so that neuropsychologists and other cognitive researchers who use the UDSv3 may be able to better detect participants with cognitive disorders earlier and more accurately    Sub-aims added 2/12/2020:  Additionally explore norms in the following 3 ways:  1. Norms with robust sample, possibly only among non-Latino Whites  2. Norms with a less stringent Spanish speaking sample  3. Norms with less stringent English speaking minority sample only