Memory and language cognitive data harmonization across the United States and Mexico.

INTRODUCTION: We used cultural neuropsychology-informed procedures to derive and validate harmonized scores representing memory and language across population-based studies in the United States and Mexico. METHODS: Data were 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). We statistically co-calibrated memory and language domains and performed differential item functioning (DIF) analysis using a cultural neuropsychological approach. We examined relationships among harmonized scores, age, and education. RESULTS: We included 3170 participants from the HRS-HCAP (Mage = 76.6 [standard deviation (SD): 7.5], 60% female) and 2042 participants from the Mex-Cog (Mage = 68.1 [SD: 9.0], 59% female). Five of seven memory items and one of twelve language items demonstrated DIF by study. Harmonized memory and language scores showed expected associations with age and education. DISCUSSION: A cultural neuropsychological approach to harmonization facilitates the generation of harmonized measures of memory and language function in cross-national studies. HIGHLIGHTS: We harmonized memory and language scores across studies in the United States and Mexico.A cultural neuropsychological approach to data harmonization was used.Harmonized scores showed minimal measurement differences between cohorts.Future work can use these harmonized scores for cross-national studies of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

Reflexões sobre o trabalho on-line da neuropsicologia infantil numa visão histórico-cultural / Reflections on the online work of child neuropsychology from a cultural-historical perspective / Reflexiones sobre el trabajo online de la neuropsicología infantil desde una perspectiva histórico-cultural

O isolamento social provocado pela pandemia de covid-19 exigiu uma intensificação no estabelecimento de parâmetros para o trabalho do neuropsicólogo com suas especificidades. Assim, o objetivo deste artigo é levantar reflexões sobre a prática neuropsicológica infantil via internet baseada na nossa experiência prática vivenciada no período, relacionando com as referências teóricas da abordagem histórico-cutural e outros trabalhos que discorrem sobre as particularidades dessa modalidade de atendimento. Para isso, foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica em fontes reconhecidas, como SciELO e Google Acadêmico, utilizando-se marcadores como "neuropsicologia on-line" e "teleneuropsicologia", entre outros, em português, inglês e espanhol. Os trabalhos encontrados foram utilizados como fundamento para discutir as ideias aqui apresentadas, a partir da experiência dos autores durante esse período. Considera-se que os neuropsicólogos precisam enfrentar a possível necessidade do trabalho on-line, considerando que as situações vividas durante a pandemia tendem a aumentar a necessidade de avaliações e intervenções neuropsicológicas. Ao mesmo tempo, se prevê que essa via de trabalho deve se intensificar após o isolamento, dentro do que se tem denominado como "o novo normal". Para isso, é essencial que haja esforço por parte da comunidade neuropsicológica para mostrar como essa área de trabalho pode ser útil para crianças, seus pais e professores. Conclui-se que é preciso ter a noção de que nenhuma via ou metodologia de trabalho é absolutamente completa, sendo essencial a instrumentalização das vantagens e desvantagens de todas elas.(AU)

The social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic demanded intensification in the establishment of parameters for the neuropsychologist's work with its specificities. Thus, the aim of this article is to raise reflections on child neuropsychological practice via the internet, based on our practical experience in this period, relating to the theoretical references of the cultural-historical approach and other works that discuss the particularities of this type of care. For this, a bibliographic research was carried out in recognized sources such as SciELO and Google Scholar, using markers such as "online neuropsychology" and teleneuropsychology, among others, in Portuguese, English and Spanish. The works found were used as a basis for discussing the ideas presented here which are based on the authors' experience during this period. It is considered that neuropsychologists need to face the possible need for online work, considering that situations experienced during the pandemic tend to increase the need for neuropsychological assessments and interventions. At the same time, it is expected that this work path should intensify after isolation, within of what has been called "the new normal". For this, an effort by the neuropsychological community is essential to show how this area of work can be useful for children, their parents and teachers. It is concluded that it is necessary to have the notion that no way or work methodology is absolutely complete, being essential the instrumentalization of the advantages and disadvantages of all of them.(AU)

El aislamiento social provocado por la pandemia de Covid-19 exigió una intensificación en el establecimiento de parámetros para el trabajo del neuropsicólogo con sus especificidades. Así, el objetivo de este artículo es plantear reflexiones sobre la práctica neuropsicológica infantil a través de internet, a partir de nuestra experiencia práctica en este período, en relación con los referentes teóricos del enfoque histórico-cultural y otros trabajos que discuten las particularidades de este tipo de cuidado. Para esto, se realizó una investigación bibliográfica en fuentes reconocidas como SciELO y Google Académico, utilizando marcadores como "neuropsicología en línea" y teleneuropsicología, entre otros, en portugués, inglés y español. Los trabajos encontrados sirvieron de base para discutir las ideas aquí presentadas a partir de la experiencia de los autores durante este período. Se considera que los neuropsicólogos necesitan enfrentar la posible necesidad de trabajo en línea, considerando que las situaciones vividas durante la pandemia tienden a incrementar la necesidad de evaluaciones e intervenciones neuropsicológicas. Al mismo tiempo, se espera que esta vía de trabajo se intensifique después del aislamiento, dentro de lo que se ha denominado "la nueva normalidad". Para esto, un esfuerzo de la comunidad neuropsicológica es fundamental para mostrar cómo esta área de trabajo puede ser útil para los niños, sus padres y profesores. Se concluye que es necesario tener la noción de que ninguna vía o metodología de trabajo es absolutamente completa, siendo imprescindible la instrumentalización de las ventajas y desventajas de todas ellas.(AU)

The Neuropsychological Norms for the U.S.-Mexico Border Region in Spanish (NP-NUMBRS) Project: Overview and considerations for life span research and evidence-based practice.

OBJECTIVE: This paper summarizes the findings of the Neuropsychological Norms for the U.S.-Mexico Border Region in Spanish (NP-NUMBRS) Project and offers a roadmap for future research. METHODS: The NP-NUMBRS project represents the largest and most comprehensive co-normed neuropsychological battery to date for native Spanish-speaking healthy adults from the U.S. (California/Arizona)-Mexico borderland region (N = 254; ages 19-60 years). These norms provide demographic adjustments for tests across numerous domains (i.e., verbal fluency, processing speed, attention/working memory, executive function, episodic memory [learning and delayed recall], visuospatial, and fine motor skills). CONCLUSIONS: This project: 1) shows that the NP-NUMBRS norms consistently outperformed previously published norms for English-speaking non-Hispanic (White and African-American) adults in identifying impairment; 2) explores the role of Spanish-English bilingualism in test performance; and 3) provides support for the diagnostic validity of these norms in detecting HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment. Study limitations include the limited assessment of sociocultural variables and generalizability (e.g., other Latina/o populations, age limit [19 - 60 years]). Future research is needed to: 1) investigate these norms with U.S.-dwelling Spanish-speakers of non-Mexican heritage and other clinical subpopulations; 2) expand coverage of cognitive domains (e.g. language, visuospatial); 3) develop large normative datasets for children and older Latina/o populations; 4) examine how sociocultural factors impact performance (e.g., bilingualism, acculturation); 5) investigate these norms' diagnostic and ecological validity; and 6) develop norms for neurocognitive change across time. It is hoped that the NP-NUMBRS norms will aid researchers and clinicians working with U.S.-dwelling Spanish-speakers from the U.S.-Mexico borderland to conduct research and evidence-based neuropsychological evaluations in a more culturally responsive and ethical manner.

Native Spanish-speaker's test performance and the effects of Spanish-English bilingualism: results from the neuropsychological norms for the U.S.-Mexico Border Region in Spanish (NP-NUMBRS) project.

Objective: We aimed to investigate whether or not demographically-corrected test scores derived from the Neuropsychological Norms for the U.S.-Mexico Border Region in Spanish (NP-NUMBRS) would be less accurate if applied to Spanish-speakers with various degrees of English fluency. Spanish-English Method: One hundred and seventy primarily Spanish-speaking adults from the NP-NUMBRS project completed a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. T-scores adjusted for age, education, and sex (but not degree of bilingualism), were derived for each test utilizing population-specific normative data. English fluency was assessed via the Controlled Oral Word Association Test in English (F-A-S), and Spanish fluency with "P-M-R," and degree of relative English fluency was calculated as the ratio of English language words over total words produced in both languages. Effects of degree of bilingualism on the NUMBRS battery test scores (raw scores and T-scores) were examined via Pearson's product moment correlation coefficients, and language groups (Spanish dominant vs. relative bilingual) were compared on demographically adjusted T-scores via independent samples t-tests. Results: Higher Spanish-English bilingualism was associated with higher education and SES, and was significantly associated with higher raw scores on all tests, but only associated with higher T-scores on a limited number of tests (i.e., WAIS-III Digit Symbol, Symbol Search, Letter-Number Sequencing and Trails B). Conclusion: Degree of Spanish-English bilingualism generally did not account for significant variance in the normed tests beyond the standard demographic adjustments on most tests. Overall, the normative adjustments provided by the NP-NUMBRS project appear applicable to native Spanish speakers from the U.S.-Mexico border region with various degrees of Spanish-English bilingualism.

La función reguladora del lenguaje, intervención en un caso de trastorno por atención deficitaria / The regulatory role of language in an attention deficit disorder case

Desde la perspectiva histórico-cultural, el trastorno por déficit de atención (TDA) se asocia con la inmadurez del factor de programación y control, que involucra el funcionamiento de regiones frontales del cerebro y hace parte del sistema ejecutivo. El artículo aborda un estudio de caso clínico en el que se exploró el impacto sistémico de un programa de intervención breve basado en el análisis del factor neuropsicológico, para comprobar su efectividad y eficiencia en el manejo sintomatológico del (TDA) y para proponer nuevos estudios controlados y aleatorizados que eventualmente validen esta metodología. Para lograrlo, se describieron los alcances del programa de corrección neuropsicológica orientada al fortalecimiento del factor de regulación y control mediante el desarrollo de la función reguladora del lenguaje, para incrementar las capacidades de planeación, control de espera, de autoverificación y la atención voluntaria. La intervención se basó en un diseño de línea de base múltiple tipo A-B-A, cuyos resultados se analizaron a partir de los puntajes de pruebas normalizadas y del análisis cualitativo de sus ejecuciones, realizadas al inicio del estudio y seis meses después. El caso analizado mostró un fortalecimiento de la función reguladora del lenguaje que impactó el desarrollo de los procesos psicológicos ejecutivos y se tradujo en un incremento del control atencional voluntario, la regulación de espera y la capacidad de planeación. Se concluye que el resultado de este caso ubica a este método como alternativa de manejo del (TDA) susceptible de ser estudiada en mayores grupos poblacionales controlados para validar el resultado, y eventualmente ofrecer un manejo extrapolable a la población diagnosticada.

From a cultural-historical perspective, attention deficit disorder (ADD) is associated with immaturity factor programming and control, which involves the functioning of the brain's frontal region and makes part of the executive system. This paper presents a clinical case study in which the systemic impact of a brief intervention program was explored; such intervention was based on the neuropsychological factor analysis, in order to prove its effectiveness and efficacy at ADD's management of symptoms as well as to propose new controlled and random studies to eventually validate this methodology. To achieve this, we described the scope of the program oriented neuropsychological correction factor strengthening the regulation and control, by developing the regulatory function of language, in order to improve planning, control of waiting, self-check and voluntary attention. Intervention was supported on an A-B-A multiple base line design, whose results were analyzed from the scores of standardized tests and the qualitative analysis of its performances at the beginning and six months after. The case analyzed showed a strengthening in the regulatory function of language, which affected the development of the executive psychological processes and showed an increase in the voluntary attentional control, regulation of waiting and planning ability. In conclusion, the result of this case places this method as an alternative to manage ADD, susceptible to be studied in larger controlled groups in order to validate the result and eventually offering an extrapolated management to a population diagnosed.