A novel language-neutral Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT): validation in four Southeast Asian countries

Abstract Background Cognitive screeners are imperative for early diagnosis of dementia. The Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT) is a language-neutral, visual-based test which has proven useful for a multilingual population in a single-center study. However, its performance utility is unknown in...

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Main Authors: Levinia Lim, Tze Pin Ng, Anam Paulus Ong, Maw Pin Tan, Alvin Rae Cenina, Qi Gao, Adeline Ng, Nagaendran Kandiah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2018-01-01
Series:Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13195-017-0333-z
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author Levinia Lim
Tze Pin Ng
Anam Paulus Ong
Maw Pin Tan
Alvin Rae Cenina
Qi Gao
Adeline Ng
Nagaendran Kandiah
author_facet Levinia Lim
Tze Pin Ng
Anam Paulus Ong
Maw Pin Tan
Alvin Rae Cenina
Qi Gao
Adeline Ng
Nagaendran Kandiah
author_sort Levinia Lim
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Cognitive screeners are imperative for early diagnosis of dementia. The Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT) is a language-neutral, visual-based test which has proven useful for a multilingual population in a single-center study. However, its performance utility is unknown in a wider and more diverse Southeast Asian cohort. Methods We recruited 164 healthy controls (HC) and 120 cognitively impaired (CI) subjects- 47 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 73 mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia participants, from four countries between January 2015 and August 2016 to determine the usefulness of a single version of the VCAT, without translation or adaptation, in a multinational, multilingual population. The VCAT was administered along with established cognitive evaluation. Results The VCAT, without local translation or adaptation, was effective in discriminating between HC and CI subjects (MCI and mild AD dementia). Mean (SD) VCAT scores for HC and CI subjects were 22.48 (3.50) and 14.17 (5.05) respectively. Areas under the curve for Montreal Cognitive Assessment (0.916, 95% CI 0.884–0.948) and the VCAT (0.905, 95% CI 0.870–0.940) in discriminating between HCs and CIs were comparable. The multiple languages used to administer VCAT in four countries did not significantly influence test scores. Conclusions The VCAT without the need for language translation or cultural adaptation showed satisfactory discriminative ability and was effective in a multinational, multilingual Southeast Asian population.
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spelling doaj.art-15b6c6bb20b541d7847c2d1404c07a072022-12-22T03:11:13ZengBMCAlzheimer’s Research & Therapy1758-91932018-01-011011910.1186/s13195-017-0333-zA novel language-neutral Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT): validation in four Southeast Asian countriesLevinia Lim0Tze Pin Ng1Anam Paulus Ong2Maw Pin Tan3Alvin Rae Cenina4Qi Gao5Adeline Ng6Nagaendran Kandiah7Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience InstituteGerontology Research Programme, Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Health System, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine National University of SingaporeFaculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Padjadjaran UniversityDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Jalan UniversitiDepartment of Neurosciences, Philippine General Hospital, University of the PhilippinesGerontology Research Programme, Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Health System, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine National University of SingaporeDepartment of Neurology, National Neuroscience InstituteDepartment of Neurology, National Neuroscience InstituteAbstract Background Cognitive screeners are imperative for early diagnosis of dementia. The Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT) is a language-neutral, visual-based test which has proven useful for a multilingual population in a single-center study. However, its performance utility is unknown in a wider and more diverse Southeast Asian cohort. Methods We recruited 164 healthy controls (HC) and 120 cognitively impaired (CI) subjects- 47 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 73 mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia participants, from four countries between January 2015 and August 2016 to determine the usefulness of a single version of the VCAT, without translation or adaptation, in a multinational, multilingual population. The VCAT was administered along with established cognitive evaluation. Results The VCAT, without local translation or adaptation, was effective in discriminating between HC and CI subjects (MCI and mild AD dementia). Mean (SD) VCAT scores for HC and CI subjects were 22.48 (3.50) and 14.17 (5.05) respectively. Areas under the curve for Montreal Cognitive Assessment (0.916, 95% CI 0.884–0.948) and the VCAT (0.905, 95% CI 0.870–0.940) in discriminating between HCs and CIs were comparable. The multiple languages used to administer VCAT in four countries did not significantly influence test scores. Conclusions The VCAT without the need for language translation or cultural adaptation showed satisfactory discriminative ability and was effective in a multinational, multilingual Southeast Asian population.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13195-017-0333-zDementiaMild cognitive impairmentAlzheimer’s diseaseCognitive testScreening tool
spellingShingle Levinia Lim
Tze Pin Ng
Anam Paulus Ong
Maw Pin Tan
Alvin Rae Cenina
Qi Gao
Adeline Ng
Nagaendran Kandiah
A novel language-neutral Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT): validation in four Southeast Asian countries
Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy
Dementia
Mild cognitive impairment
Alzheimer’s disease
Cognitive test
Screening tool
title A novel language-neutral Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT): validation in four Southeast Asian countries
title_full A novel language-neutral Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT): validation in four Southeast Asian countries
title_fullStr A novel language-neutral Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT): validation in four Southeast Asian countries
title_full_unstemmed A novel language-neutral Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT): validation in four Southeast Asian countries
title_short A novel language-neutral Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT): validation in four Southeast Asian countries
title_sort novel language neutral visual cognitive assessment test vcat validation in four southeast asian countries
topic Dementia
Mild cognitive impairment
Alzheimer’s disease
Cognitive test
Screening tool
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13195-017-0333-z
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