Assessing executive function in Parkinson disease: the alternating names test. Part I. Reliability, validity, and...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Executive function (EF) deficits are common in Parkinson disease (PD).
• Set-switching is a crucial component of EF, often impaired in PD.
• A validated bedside test for set-switching in PD is needed for clinical assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Alternating Names Test (ANT), a novel bedside measure of set-switching.
• To establish convergent and divergent validity and alternate forms reliability for the ANT in individuals with PD.
• To provide normative data for the ANT to facilitate its clinical application.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from a clinic-based PD Research Registry.
• Two samples were analyzed: 829 patients with idiopathic PD and 253 caregivers/family members.
• The ANT involves producing alternating sequences of boys' and girls' names, measuring completion time and errors.

Main Results:

• The ANT demonstrated good convergent validity (mean rho=.67) and divergent validity (mean rho=.31).
• Alternate forms reliability was high for completion time (rho=.76) but low for errors (rho=.37).
• Normative data for the ANT are presented in a look-up table.

Conclusions:

• The ANT is a valid and reliable bedside test for assessing set-switching in Parkinson disease.
• Its ease of administration and ability to identify executive deficits suggest utility in clinical practice.
• Further research is warranted to explore the full potential of the ANT in PD management.