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Memory and language cognitive data harmonization across the United States and Mexico
Miguel Arce Rentería1, Emily M Briceño2, Diefei Chen3,4
1Department of Neurology Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons New York New York USA.
Researchers harmonized memory and language scores across US and Mexican studies using a cultural neuropsychology approach. This method yielded comparable cognitive measures for cross-national research, including studies on Alzheimer's disease.
Area of Science:
- Neuropsychology
- Cognitive Aging
- Cross-cultural Research
Background:
- Cognitive assessment across diverse populations presents harmonization challenges.
- Existing cognitive measures may not be directly comparable between different cultural contexts.
- Need for validated, harmonized cognitive scores for cross-national epidemiological studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To derive and validate harmonized memory and language scores using a cultural neuropsychology-informed approach.
- To enable cross-national comparisons of cognitive function in population-based studies.
- To facilitate future research on cognitive aging and dementia across the United States and Mexico.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Health and Retirement Study Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HRS-HCAP) and the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) Ancillary Study on Cognitive Aging (Mex-Cog).
- Employed statistical co-calibration for memory and language domains.
- Conducted differential item functioning (DIF) analysis informed by cultural neuropsychology principles.
Main Results:
- Included 3170 participants from HRS-HCAP and 2042 from Mex-Cog.
- Identified DIF for 5 memory items and 1 language item across studies.
- Harmonized scores demonstrated expected relationships with age and education, indicating validity.
Conclusions:
- A cultural neuropsychological approach effectively harmonizes cognitive measures across international cohorts.
- Generated harmonized memory and language scores show minimal measurement bias between US and Mexican samples.
- These harmonized scores are suitable for cross-national research on cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease.
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