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Background: Linguistic deficits are common across neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. Currently there are limited neuropsychological norms available for Spanish-speaking adults residing in the U.S., Objective: To generate norms for two verbal fluency tests and the Boston Naming Test (BNT) in a Spanish-speaking population in the U.S., with adjustments for demographic and cultural variables., Methods: The sample consisted of 245 adults from the U.S. Participants completed phonological and semantic verbal fluency tests and the BNT. A standardized four-step statistical procedure was used., Results: For the phoneme F, interactions between Spanish proficiency, age, and education arose. Better performance on phonemes A, S, and M was related to education. Spanish proficiency, acculturation, and time in the U.S. were associated with the phonemes S, A, P, M, and R. An age by education interaction was found for phonemes M and R. The FAS and PMR triads were related to age, sex, time in U.S., and Spanish proficiency. For the semantic verbal fluency tests, an interaction between education and Spanish proficiency arose. For the BNT, test scores were related to education, and significant interactions were also found based on education's interaction with Spanish proficiency and acculturation., Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of accounting for sociodemographic and acculturative factors when developing normative data for verbal fluency tests and the BNT for dominant Spanish-speaking adults in the U.S. These sociodemographically-adjusted norms will help improve accuracy of diagnosis and interpretation of linguistic test performance in Spanish speakers living in the U.S.

Background: The Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) is a widely used performance validity measure that is available in both English and Spanish. The Spanish version, however, has historically lacked normative data from samples that are representative of the U.S. Hispanic/Spanish speaking population., Objective: The aim of the current study was to collect normative data on the update TOMM 2 for Hispanic individuals residing in the U.S., Methods: Normative data on the TOMM 2 was collected across 9 sites from different regions of the U.S. The total sample consisted of n = 188 cognitively healthy adults aged 18 and over with no current or prior history of neurological or psychiatric disorder. Descriptive analyses were performed on total raw scores., Results: Participants obtained a mean score of 48.15 (SD = 2.81) on trial 1 of the TOMM 2, 49.86 (SD = 0.487) on trial 2, and 49.84 (SD = 0.509) on the recognition trial. Scores are provided for traditional cutoff scores as well as some popular cutoffs reported in the literature. Item level analyses were conducted as well as evaluation of performance based on a variety of demographics., Conclusion: When compared to the English-speaking normative sample used for the original TOMM, this sample demonstrated better performance on the TOMM 2 indicating better cultural appropriateness of the items. This is the first study conducted that provides culturally appropriate descriptive norms for use with Spanish speakers living in the U.S.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to generate normative data for five tests of attention and executive functions (M-WCST, Stroop test, TMT, BTA, and SDMT), in a group of 322 Ecuadorian adults from Quito between the ages of 18 and 85., Method: Multiple regression analyzes taking into account age, education, and gender were used to generate the normative data., Results: Age and education were significantly related to test performance such that scores decreased with age and improved as a function of education. An online calculator is provided to generate normative test scores., Conclusions: This is the first study that presents normative data for tests of executive functions and attention in an Ecuadorian adult population. This data will improve the clinical practice of neuropsychology and help to develop the field in the country.

Background: Children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) usually displayed substantial neuropsychological impairment at short and long term after injury., Objective: To compare the course of cognitive functioning among children with TBI and healthy controls over the first-year post-injury in Guadalajara, Mexico., Methods: A sample of 46 children with TBI and 46 healthy controls from Guadalajara, Mexico were recruited. Both groups received a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation at three-time (3, 6, and 12 months) with measures of memory, attention, executive function, processing speed, language, perceptual reasoning, visuo-spatial abilities, and intellectual functioning. Sixteen hierarchical linear models (HLMs) were performed to examine whether linear trajectories of cognitive functioning differed over time between groups., Results: Trajectories of neuropsychological performance were significantly worse over time among children with TBI than healthy controls across every cognitive domain. HLMs suggested that cognitive performance increased over time in both groups, however, TBI group scored significantly lower at each time point compare to the control group, except in Stroop-Interference., Conclusions: Cognitive deficits are common during the first-year after pediatric TBI. Thus, it is imperative to implement early rehabilitation programs to mitigate the consequences of these problems in the social, academic, and family reintegration of these children.

OBJECTIVE: To generate normative data for the phonological and semantic verbal fluency tests (VFT) in Spanish-speaking pediatric populations. METHOD: The sample consisted of 4,373 healthy children from nine countries in Latin America (Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Puerto Rico) and Spain. Each participant was administered the VFT as part of a larger neuropsychological battery. Scores for letters F, A, S, and animals and fruit categories were normed using multiple linear regressions and standard deviations of residual values. Age, age2, sex, and mean level of parental education (MLPE) were included as predictors in the analyses. RESULTS: The final multiple linear regression models showed main effects for age on all scores, such that scores increased linearly as a function of age. Age2 had a significant effect in Chile (animals), Cuba (A letter, fruits), Ecuador (animals, fruits), Honduras (F letter), Mexico (animals, fruits), Peru (fruits), and Spain (S letters, animals, fruits). Models showed an effect for MLPE in Chile (A letters, animals, fruits), Ecuador (S letter, animals, fruits), Guatelama (F, S letter, animals), Honduras (animals), Mexico (F, A, S letters, animals, fruits), Puerto Rico (A, letters, animals), and Spain (all scores). Sex scores were found significant in Chile (animals), Ecuador (A letter, fruits), Mexico (F letter, fruits), Paraguay (F, A, S letters, fruits), Puerto Rico (F letter, animals, fruits), and Spain (F letter, fruits). CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest multi-national Spanish speaking-pediatric normative study in the world, and as such it will allow neuropsychologists from these countries to have a more accurate way to interpret the phonological and semantic VFT in pediatric populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To generate normative data for the Concentration Endurance Test (d2) in Spanish-speaking pediatric populations. METHOD: The sample consisted of 4,373 healthy children from nine countries in Latin America (Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Puerto Rico) and Spain. Each participant was administered the d2 test as part of a larger neuropsychological battery. The Total number of items processed (TN), Total number of correct responses (CR), Total performance (TP), and Concentration performance (CP) scores were normed using multiple linear regressions and standard deviations of residual values. Age, age², sex, and mean level of parental education (MLPE) were included as predictors in the analyses. RESULTS: The final multiple linear regression models showed main effects for age on all scores, such that scores increased linearly as a function of age. TN scores were affected by age2 for Guatemala and Puerto Rico; CR scores were affected by age2 for Mexico; TP scores were affected by age² for Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Spain; and CP scores for Mexico and Spain. Models indicated that children whose parents had a MLPE >12 years obtained higher scores compared to children whose parents had a MLPE=12 years for Mexico and Spain in all scores, and Puerto Rico for TN, CR, and TP, and Guatemala and Paraguay for CP scores. Sex affect the scores for Ecuador and Honduras (CP scores). CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest Spanish-speaking pediatric normative study in the world, and it will allow neuropsychologists from these countries to have a more accurate approach to interpret the d2 test in pediatric populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To generate normative data for the Trail Making Test (TMT) in Spanish-speaking pediatric populations. METHOD: The sample consisted of 3,337 healthy children from nine countries in Latin America (Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Puerto Rico) and Spain. Each participant was administered the TMT as part of a larger neuropsychological battery. The TMT-A and TMT-B scores were normed using multiple linear regressions and standard deviations of residual values. Age, age2, sex, and mean level of parental education (MLPE) were included as predictors in the analyses. RESULTS: The final multiple linear regression models showed main effects for age on both scores, such that as children needed less time to complete the test while they become older. TMT-A scores were affected by age2 for all countries except, Cuba, Guatemala, and Puerto. TMT-B scores were affected by age2 for all countries except, Guatemala and Puerto Rico. Models indicated that children whose parent(s) had a MLPE >12 years of education needed less time to complete the test compared to children whose parent(s) had a MLPE =12 years for Mexico and Paraguay in TMT-A scores; and Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, and Spain for TMT-B scores. Sex affected TMT-A scores for Chile, Cuba, Mexico, and Peru, in that boys needed less time to complete the test than girls. Sex did not affect TMT-B scores. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest Spanish-speaking pediatric normative study in the world, and it will allow neuropsychologists from these countries to have a more accurate approach to interpret the TMT in pediatric populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]