Sufficient evidence has been accumulated to support the validity of VTC for remote neuropsychological assessment in older populations. Inter-organisational guidelines for tele-neuropsychology have also been published in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated research on remote assessments. Remote neuropsychological assessment using video teleconferencing (VTC) systems has been proposed as a potential solution. In addition, the concentration of the population in urban areas has caused problems in accessing medical care in remote rural areas due to a shortage of specialists. However, there is an imbalance between the number of professionals who can administer detailed neuropsychological assessments and the number of older people who need such assessments. For the early detection of dementia, both brain imaging and neuropsychological tests to assess cognitive function are essential. Early detection and therapeutic intervention for aging people before the onset of dementia are important. The strategy for dementia in Japan is important worldwide because Japan has the highest proportion of older people in the world. Therefore, dementia is one of the most pressing health care issues worldwide. There are more than 55 million people with dementia worldwide, with nearly 10 million new cases reported every year. The number of people with age-associated cognitive impairment is increasing rapidly. For the tapping span, we should consider increasing the number of trials. As for the processing speed tasks, we need to create our own standards for the remote condition. The results suggest that remote video conference-based neuropsychological tests even using familiar devices and software may be able to assess a wide range of cognitive functions in the Japanese older population. Paired samples t-test showed statistically significant differences in SDMT, RCPM time, and cancellation time. Digit span using Cohen’s Kappa (κ) coefficient was significant, but the tapping span was not. ResultsĪll ICCs were significant and ranged from 0.47 (RCPM time) to 0.92 (RCPM score and PASAT), with a mean ICC of 0.75. Intraclass correlations (ICCs), paired-samples t-tests, Cohen’s Kappa (κ) coefficients, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were calculated to compare the scores between VTC and FTF assessments. The experimental design was a counterbalanced crossover randomised controlled trial. Tests included the RCPM, Story recall, 10/36 spatial recall, selective reminding test, SDMT, PASAT, FAB, TMT-A, TMT-B, visual cancellation task, digit span, tapping span. The sample consisted of 26 participants from senior citizens clubs and an employment service centre in Sapporo Japan, including 11 females and 15 males (age averaged 78.6 ± 6.8 years). We aimed to determine the feasibility and reliability of previously unvalidated remote cognitive function tests in Japan using common information and communication technology (ICT) devices, software, and VTC systems compared with face-to-face (FTF) assessment. This page is part of CLOSER’s ‘A guide to the cognitive measures in five British birth cohort studies’.The assessment of a wide range of cognitive functions using video teleconference (VTC) systems cannot be applied in practice yet. Overview of childhood cognitive measures across all studies.Overview of all cognitive measures in ALSPAC.The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 61(3), 474-490.įor the named item in the table, a link is provided to the corresponding CLOSER Discovery content. Deficits in verbal long-term memory and learning in children with poor phonological short-term memory skills. E., Briscoe, J., Thorn, A., Tiffany, C., & ALSPAC Study Team. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92(2), 377. Assessment of working memory in six-and seven-year-old children. NCDS – Child of CM (Multi-Age) – WISC-R Digit Span Subscale Mean = 212.39 weeks, SD = 1.63, Range = 207 - 221ĪLSPAC – Age 5 – Short-Term Memory (Digit Span Test) The outcome was the maximum digit span reached. If the child correctly answered the first 3 lists of a particular sequence length, the length of the list was increased by one number. Sequence lists were then read aloud, beginning with a 2-number sequence. A practice session was administered first. The child was presented with a spoken series of digits and asked to recall them immediately in sequence. Trained interviewer clinical setting questions answered orally The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) assessed their cohort members (CMs) at 49 months’ age (Children in Focus Clinic) using a measure of Short-term Memory (Digit Span Test).ĭetails on this measure and the data collected from the CMs are outlined in the table below.

Digit span average score