[Preliminary validation of the Quebec French version of the Memory Binding Test: Comparison with the Rey Auditory...

Early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) requires cognitive tools that are both sensitive to subtle memory impairments and specific to the disease. The Memory Binding Test (MBT) was designed for this purpose, targeting episodic memory binding through structured, semantically cued encoding, thereby reducing executive demands. Although a French adaptation of the MBT has been validated, no version has yet been developed for the Quebec French population, despite known linguistic and cultural differences that may affect verbal memory performance. This study aimed (1) to validate a Quebec French adaptation of the MBT derived from the French version developed in France, and (2) to assess its convergent validity with the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), a widely used but more executive-dependent episodic memory task. Materials and methods. Fifty-two participants aged 55 years and older, all professionals or executives, completed both tests in a remote cognitive assessment setting. Moderate to strong correlations were observed between MBT free recall and RAVLT recall scores, increasing across RAVLT learning trials. However, no significant correlation was found for recognition scores, likely due to methodological differences and ceiling effects in the RAVLT. Paired comparisons showed significantly higher free recall performance in the MBT than in RAVLT trial 1, but lower than after five trials, reflecting the MBT's structured encoding advantage versus the cumulative learning effect in the RAVLT. Recognition scores were significantly lower in the MBT, consistent with its higher cognitive demands (i.e., source memory). Overall, these findings support the convergent validity and clinical relevance of the Quebec MBT, particularly for detecting subtle episodic memory deficits in aging. Its structure makes it less reliant on executive strategies, positioning it as a complementary tool to traditional memory tests such as the RAVLT for the early detection of AD-related memory decline in cognitively high-functioning individuals.