A Validation Study of Memory and Executive Functions Indexes in French-Speaking Healthy Young and Older Adults

Des scores composites mesurant les fonctions temporales medianes (FTM)/la memoire et les fonctions frontales (FF)/executives sont utilises pour indexer les changements cognitifs relies au vieillissement. L’utilisation de ces scores en recherche gagne en popularite, mais s’appuie essentiellement sur les resultats de tests neuropsychologiques aupres des populations anglophones. Cette etude visait a valider les scores composites des FTM/la memoire et FF/executives aupres d’adultes francophones. Quatre-vingt-dix-huit participants sains (32 jeunes et 66 âges) ont ete evalues a l’aide de trois tests neuropsychologiques associes aux FTM et cinq tests associes aux FF. Une analyse factorielle effectuee sur les scores residuels independants de l’âge indique que les tests associes aux FTM et ceux associes aux FF se regroupent en deux facteurs distincts. Une analyse de type « bootstrapping » impliquant 1 000 reechantillons indique que sept tests sont stables. Cette etude valide pour la premiere fois en francais, des scores composites mesurant les FTM et FF. Abstract: Medial temporal lobe (MTL)/memory and frontal lobe (FL)/executive functions indexes are used to measure changes related to cognitive aging. These indexes are based on composite scores of neuropsychological tests validated in English-speaking populations, and their use in aging research is growing in popularity. This study aimed at validating the MTL/memory and FL/executive functions indexes in French-speaking adults. Ninety-eight healthy participants (32 young and 66 older adults) were tested on eight neuropsychological tests, three associated with MTL/memory functions and five associated with FL/executive functions. Factor analysis indicated that residual scores independent of age and associated with MTL/memory functions grouped under one factor, and residual scores associated with FL/executive functions grouped under another factor. Bootstrapping analysis with 1,000 resamples confirmed stability for seven neuropsychological tests. This study provides the first validation of the MTL/memory and FL/executive functions composite scores in French-speaking adults, which may be used to assess cognitive changes in aging research.