title: Psychometrically matched measures of global cognition, memory, and executive function for assessment of cognitive decline in older persons.
abstract: Item response theory methods were used to derive psychometrically sophisticated measures of global cognition, memory, and executive function. Goals were that these measures (a) could be derived from commonly used neuropsychological tests, (b) would have linear measurement properties, and (c) would be psychometrically matched. Scale development was based on a sample of 400 older individuals with cognitive function ranging from normal to demented. Scales were reasonably matched with linear measurement over an ability range relevant to many important clinical applications. Cognitively normal, mild impairment, and dementia participant groups differed on baseline measures and rate of decline. Association of measures with quantitative structural magnetic resonance imaging variables followed expected patterns. This approach to scale development may have applications for other neuropsychological assessment problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento 95817, USA. dmmungas@ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mungas
authors.forename: Bruce R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Joel H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kramer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D014894:Weights and Measures