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Abstract
Background: The Uniform Data Set 3.0 Neuropsychological Battery (UDS3NB) is a standardized tool for assessing cognitive function in aging populations. Factor analytic studies on the UDS 3 have shown that performance across cognitive domains, such as memory, attention, executive function, language, and visuospatial abilities, can differentiate between cognitive status groups, cognitively normal (CN), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Understanding how specific cognitive domains relate to diagnostic categories, CN, MCI, and dementia, is essential for early identification. Additionally, socioeconomic and health factors may influence cognitive outcomes and should be considered alongside cognitive performance. The aims of this study are to:
1. Estimate to what extent performance varies between five cognitive domains and within cognitive status groups.
2. Identify socioeconomic and health factors that are associated with CN, MCI, and dementia cognitive status.
3. Highlight what cognitive domains show the earliest most pronounced changes across cognitive status groups to inform early intervention strategies.
Methods: This study included a sample of 100 participants ages 50 and older from the UTRGV South Texas Alzheimer’s Center (STAC) cohort categorized into three groups based on their clinical diagnosis proposed by UDS3: CN, MCI, and Dementia. All individuals were administered the UDS 3.0 Neuropsychological Battery Exam, and categorized with the proposed model of Kiselica, et al. (2020). All results were standardized through z-score conversion that accounted for socioeconomic demographics such as sex, age, andeducation level. Additionally, we analyzed the relationship between sociodemographic and health factors that have shown to affect cognitive status.
Results: We found that CN, MCI, and Dementia groups were not different in sociodemographic and health factors. Across all five cognitive domains assessed using the UDS3NB, memory, attention, language, visuospatial, and speed/exec function, there was a progressive increase in impairment from CN to Dementia. Cognitive domain performance varies across groups. Memory and language show the differences between cognitively normal individuals and those with MCI. All domains differ between cognitively normal and dementia groups. MCI and dementia groups show differences in language, visuospatial, and executive function, while impairment in attention remains similar across all groups.
Conclusion: Cognitive domains based on Kiselicas proposed factors, proved useful for group discrimination within our cohort and may inform future intervention strategies and applications to the population.
Presentation Type
Poster
Recommended Citation
Ramirez, Andrea; Palomo, Estrella; Pirela, Rosa; Rodriguez, Hector; Reyes, Roberto; Manusov, Eron; Alliey-Rodriguez, Ney; Melgarejo, Jesus D.; Maestre, Gladys E.; and Mejia-Arango, Silvia, "Examining domain-specific neuropsychological differences across cognitive status groups in UTRGV South Texas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center cohort" (2025). Research Colloquium. 8.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/colloquium/2025/posters/8
Included in
Examining domain-specific neuropsychological differences across cognitive status groups in UTRGV South Texas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center cohort
Background: The Uniform Data Set 3.0 Neuropsychological Battery (UDS3NB) is a standardized tool for assessing cognitive function in aging populations. Factor analytic studies on the UDS 3 have shown that performance across cognitive domains, such as memory, attention, executive function, language, and visuospatial abilities, can differentiate between cognitive status groups, cognitively normal (CN), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Understanding how specific cognitive domains relate to diagnostic categories, CN, MCI, and dementia, is essential for early identification. Additionally, socioeconomic and health factors may influence cognitive outcomes and should be considered alongside cognitive performance. The aims of this study are to:
1. Estimate to what extent performance varies between five cognitive domains and within cognitive status groups.
2. Identify socioeconomic and health factors that are associated with CN, MCI, and dementia cognitive status.
3. Highlight what cognitive domains show the earliest most pronounced changes across cognitive status groups to inform early intervention strategies.
Methods: This study included a sample of 100 participants ages 50 and older from the UTRGV South Texas Alzheimer’s Center (STAC) cohort categorized into three groups based on their clinical diagnosis proposed by UDS3: CN, MCI, and Dementia. All individuals were administered the UDS 3.0 Neuropsychological Battery Exam, and categorized with the proposed model of Kiselica, et al. (2020). All results were standardized through z-score conversion that accounted for socioeconomic demographics such as sex, age, andeducation level. Additionally, we analyzed the relationship between sociodemographic and health factors that have shown to affect cognitive status.
Results: We found that CN, MCI, and Dementia groups were not different in sociodemographic and health factors. Across all five cognitive domains assessed using the UDS3NB, memory, attention, language, visuospatial, and speed/exec function, there was a progressive increase in impairment from CN to Dementia. Cognitive domain performance varies across groups. Memory and language show the differences between cognitively normal individuals and those with MCI. All domains differ between cognitively normal and dementia groups. MCI and dementia groups show differences in language, visuospatial, and executive function, while impairment in attention remains similar across all groups.
Conclusion: Cognitive domains based on Kiselicas proposed factors, proved useful for group discrimination within our cohort and may inform future intervention strategies and applications to the population.
