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Latent structure and factorial invariance of a neuropsychological test battery for the study of preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE:To examine the latent structure of a test battery currently being used in a longitudinal study of asymptomatic middle-aged adults with a parental history of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and test the invariance of the factor solution across subgroups defined by selected demographic variables and known genetic risk factors for AD. METHOD:An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a sequence of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted on 24 neuropsychological measures selected to provide a comprehensive estimate of cognitive abilities most likely to be affected in preclinical AD. Once the underlying latent model was defined and the structural validity established through model comparisons, a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis model was used to test for factorial invariance across groups. RESULTS:The EFA solution revealed a factor structure consisting of five constructs: verbal ability, visuospatial ability, speed & executive function, working memory, and verbal learning & memory. The CFA models provided support for the hypothesized 5-factor structure. Results indicated factorial invariance of the model across all groups examined. CONCLUSIONS:Collectively, the results suggested a relatively strong psychometric basis for using the factor structure in clinical samples that match the characteristics of this cohort. This confirmed an invariant factor structure should prove useful in research aimed to detect the earliest cognitive signature of preclinical AD in similar middle aged cohorts.

SUBMITTER: Dowling NM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3057903 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Latent structure and factorial invariance of a neuropsychological test battery for the study of preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

Dowling N Maritza NM Hermann Bruce B La Rue Asenath A Sager Mark A MA

Neuropsychology 20101101 6

<h4>Objective</h4>To examine the latent structure of a test battery currently being used in a longitudinal study of asymptomatic middle-aged adults with a parental history of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and test the invariance of the factor solution across subgroups defined by selected demographic variables and known genetic risk factors for AD.<h4>Method</h4>An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a sequence of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted on 24 neuropsychological measures se ...[more]

PMID: 21038965

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Project description:BACKGROUND:The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) is a computerized tool used to measure cognitive function in diverse populations and is sensitive for assessing developmental changes in children. Although CANTAB has been used in several countries, its applicability in a Mexican child population is unknown. This study examined developmental trends on CANTAB in a large sample of urban Mexico City youth and tested the hypothesis that their performance would be similar to a large US normative sample. METHOD:As part of a birth cohort, Early Life Exposures in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants, 826 children, ages 5-15 years, completed CANTAB. Subtests measured planning (Stockings of Cambridge; SOC), short-term memory (Delayed Matching to Sample; DMS), sustained attention (Rapid Visual Information Processing; RVP), ability to match visual stimuli (Match to Sample Visual Search; MTS), flexibility (Intra-extra Dimensional Set Shift; IED), and response inhibition (Stop Signal Task; SST). Determinants of performance on the CANTAB, including age, maternal/child IQ, and sex, were analyzed using Spearman correlation and Welch t tests. Equivalence testing compared performance with existing norms. RESULTS:Performance improved with age on all measures. Child IQ was mildly associated with measures of memory and attention but not executive functioning, consistent with US norms. Maternal IQ was not associated with any outcomes, and males performed better on IED. Mexican norms were comparable to US norms on almost all outcomes, with the exception of a short-term visual recognition memory task (DMS). CONCLUSIONS:This study provides the largest normative data for CANTAB performance in a community sample of Mexican youth. Findings demonstrate the expected maturational effects of executive function, specifically in cognitive shifting and inhibition. Levels of executive function performance demonstrated by a Mexican sample were consistent with normative values reported in US youth. These findings, as well as expected associations with child IQ, indicate high applicability of CANTAB for Mexican youth in neurobehavioral studies.

Dataset Information

Latent structure and factorial invariance of a neuropsychological test battery for the study of preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

Publications

Latent structure and factorial invariance of a neuropsychological test battery for the study of preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

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