Karstens, Aimee J.

AbstractBackgroundMayo Test Drive (MTD): Test Development through Rapid Iteration, Validation and Expansion, is a web‐based platform for self‐administered assessment for novel (Stricker Learning Span) and open access (Symbols Test) cognitive measures with previously demonstrated validity and reliability. Our study aim was to examine the usability of MTD, defined as the extent to which MTD was used to achieve the desired study goal of completing a testing session among participants willing to engage in an all‐remote study.Methods248 Mayo Clinic Study of Aging and Mayo Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center participants were invited to participate in this ancillary, uncompensated remote pilot study via email. To examine 1) willingness to participate in a remote cognitive assessment study and 2) usability of MTD, the initiation and completion rates of MTD were examined by cognitively unimpaired (CU; n = 142) and cognitively impaired (CI; n = 106) groups (see Figure 1). These rates and other factors associated with MTD feasibility were further explored across age in CU (i.e., 50–69, 70–79, and 80+ years) and specific diagnostic groups in CI (i.e., individuals with dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and possible MCI).ResultsSession completion rate (usability) was 98% across all participants who chose to participate, and, surprisingly, completion rates did not vary by age or diagnostic groups (p = .69; see Table 1). As expected, more individuals chose to participate in the CU (77%) versus CI (52%) group (p < .001). In terms of feasibility, individuals over 80 and with CI were more likely to have some contact with the study coordinator. Use of smartphones decreased with age, with most CU individuals over 70 using a personal computer (69‐73%; Table 2).ConclusionsThough the CI group was less likely to choose to participate than the CU group, out of those that did choose to participate the rate of completion was 98%. This demonstrates high usability of MTD. Study coordinator support and a flexible testing platform is critical for facilitating participation in remote testing across the aging population, and more supports and incentives may be needed for individuals with cognitive impairment to improve participation rates.

AbstractBackgroundMayo Test Drive (MTD): Test Development through Rapid Iteration, Validation and Expansion, is a web‐based platform for self‐administered assessment for novel (Stricker Learning Span) and open access (Symbols Test) cognitive measures with previously demonstrated validity and reliability. Our study aim was to examine the usability of MTD, defined as the extent to which MTD was used to achieve the desired study goal of completing a testing session among participants willing to engage in an all‐remote study.Methods248 Mayo Clinic Study of Aging and Mayo Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center participants were invited to participate in this ancillary, uncompensated remote pilot study via email. To examine 1) willingness to participate in a remote cognitive assessment study and 2) usability of MTD, the initiation and completion rates of MTD were examined by cognitively unimpaired (CU; n = 142) and cognitively impaired (CI; n = 106) groups (see Figure 1). These rates and other factors associated with MTD feasibility were further explored across age in CU (i.e., 50‐69, 70‐79, and 80+ years) and specific diagnostic groups in CI (i.e., individuals with dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and possible MCI).ResultsSession completion rate (usability) was 98% across all participants who chose to participate, and, surprisingly, completion rates did not vary by age or diagnostic groups (p =.69; see Table 1). As expected, more individuals chose to participate in the CU (77%) versus CI (52%) group (p < .001). In terms of feasibility, individuals over 80 and with CI were more likely to have some contact with the study coordinator. Use of smartphones decreased with age, with most CU individuals over 70 using a personal computer (69‐73%; Table 2).ConclusionsThough the CI group was less likely to choose to participate than the CU group, out of those that did choose to participate the rate of completion was 98%. This demonstrates high usability of MTD. Study coordinator support and a flexible testing platform is critical for facilitating participation in remote testing across the aging population, and more supports and incentives may be needed for individuals with cognitive impairment to improve participation rates.

Background: Music-based psychosocial interventions may provide effective management of behavioral symptoms in persons with dementia (PWDs). However, there has been a paucity of studies that measured their effect on social engagement. This proof-of-concept study evaluates efficacy of the Musical Bridges to Memory (MBM) intervention on PWD’s social engagement, behavioral symptoms, and associated caregiver distress. Methods: Twenty-nine PWDs and caregivers (8 control dyads, 21 intervention) participated in this dyadically designed, prospective, blinded, 12-week controlled interventional study. The intervention consisted of weekly MBM sessions, led by board-certified music therapists and performers, including caregiver training, live performances, and social breakout groups. Outcomes were measured by the Verbal and Nonverbal Interaction Scale for Care Receivers (VNVIS-CR) to code interactions between PWDs and caregivers for verbal and nonverbal sociable and unsociable behaviors. Symptom severity and caregiver distress were measured using Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Results: Nonverbal sociable interactions significantly increased (P=0.012) in those who completed the MBM program as compared with a decrease observed in the control group. Family/caregiver distress associated with PWDs neuropsychiatric symptoms showed significant improvement in the experimental group as compared with controls (P=0.045). Conclusions: This study provides proof-of-concept that MBM improves nonverbal sociable content of PWDs interactions and reduces caregivers’ distress.

AbstractIntroductionThis study established the psychometric properties and preliminary validity of the Stricker Learning Span (SLS), a novel computer adaptive word list memory test designed for remote assessment and optimized for smartphone use.MethodsWomen enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Specialized Center of Research Excellence (SCORE) were recruited via e‐mail or phone to complete two remote cognitive testing sessions. Convergent validity was assessed through correlation with previously administered in‐person neuropsychological tests (n = 96, ages 55–79) and criterion validity through associations with magnetic resonance imaging measures of neurodegeneration sensitive to Alzheimer's disease (n = 47).ResultsSLS performance significantly correlated with the Auditory Verbal Learning Test and measures of neurodegeneration (temporal meta‐regions of interest and entorhinal cortical thickness, adjusting for age and education). Test–retest reliabilities across two sessions were 0.71–0.76 (two‐way mixed intraclass correlation coefficients).DiscussionThe SLS is a valid and reliable self‐administered memory test that shows promise for remote assessment of aging and neurodegenerative disorders.

AbstractBackgroundMayo Test Drive (MTD): Test Development through Rapid Iteration, Validation and Expansion, is a web‐based platform for remote self‐administered assessment for novel (Stricker Learning Span; SLS) and open access (Symbols Test) cognitive measures. The SLS is a computer adaptive word‐list memory test that matches test difficulty to user performance. The SLS visually presents words for learning exposures and 4‐choice recognition to test encoding across 5 trials. Symbols is a measure of processing speed being used in many remote assessment studies and typically employs a burst design; in MTD participants complete 4 trials (12‐items each). We examine validity and reliability of the SLS and Symbols via MTD.MethodForty‐five women enrolled in an ongoing study of the Sex‐Specific Effects of Endocrine Disruption on Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease were recruited via email or phone. The Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) and Digit Symbol Coding (Coding), administered in person within the past 2 years (Mean=11 months), were used to establish construct validity. Participants (91.3% White, Mean age=66.2 years, Mean education=15.3 years) were emailed a link to complete the SLS and Symbols remotely at their convenience on their own device and emailed to repeat testing after approximately 1 week. Pearson correlations (n=45) and 2‐way mixed intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC; n=42) determined construct validity and test‐retest reliability, respectively. Significance was set at p<.05.ResultAcross all test sessions initiated, 97% were successfully completed. Most were completed at home (92.6%; vs. at work or in a public space), and device type varied (48% smartphone, 2% tablet, 50% PC). Median session completion time was 15 minutes. SLS learning scores (max span, total correct trials 1‐5) significantly correlated with AVLT 1‐5 total (r’s .37‐.39) and AVLT Trial 5 (r’s .51‐.52). SLS delay significantly correlated with AVLT delay (r=0.45) and recognition (r=0.61). Symbols time‐based scores averaged across trials were significantly correlated with Coding (r’s=‐.48‐(‐).50). Test‐retest reliabilities across 2 sessions were high for SLS (ICC’s=.80‐.88) and Symbols (ICC’s=.81‐.82).ConclusionSLS and Symbols are valid and reliable self‐administered remote tests in older females. Future work will examine effects of Alzheimer’s disease neuroimaging biomarkers and risk factors on these tests.