Face-Name Associative Memory Exam Research Articles

Development of the Greek version of the Face Name Associative Memory Exam (GR-FNAME12) in cognitively normal elderly individuals

Objective: The Face–Name Associative Memory Examination (FNAME) is a cross-modal associative memory test with a high sensitivity for detecting Alzheimer’s disease-related subtle memory problems at an early preclinical stage. The present study examined the psychometric characteristics of a Greek version of the short form of FNAME (GR-FNAME12) to evaluate the contribution of demographic characteristics, report the range of performance within our sample, and estimate regression-based norms in cognitively normal elderly individuals. Method: In all, 216 cognitively normal elderly individuals were recruited and were administered a version of the short form of the FNAME (GR-FNAME12) that was culture and language specific to Greek-speaking individuals and developed for this study. Results: The construct validity of GR-FNAME12 was determined using principal component analysis thereby revealing two factors: face–name and face–occupation. These match the original version of the test. A significant positive correlation between GR-FNAME12 and two traditional memory measures – the RAVLT and the ROCFT – supported convergent validity. Test–retest reliability was computed for 32 participants. Multiple regression analyses showed that only age and not education or gender significantly predicted performance on the GR-FNAME12. We also estimated regression-based norms for the GR-FNAME12 scales. Conclusion: It was found that the Greek version of the FNAME12 had adequate psychometric properties, and could be administered to Greek-speaking individuals for clinical and research purposes.

The Spanish version of Face-Name Associative Memory Exam (S-FNAME) performance is related to amyloid burden in Subjective Cognitive Decline

The Face-Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME) is a paired associative memory test created to detect memory deficits in individuals with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Worse performance on FNAME in cognitively healthy individuals were found related to higher amyloid beta (Aβ) burden measured with Positron-Emission-Tomography using 11C-PiB (PiB-PET). We previously reported normative data of a Spanish version of FNAME (S-FNAME) in cognitively healthy Spanish-speaking subjects. The aim of the present study was to determine whether performance on S-FNAME was associated with Aβ burden in subjective cognitive decline (SCD) individuals. 200 SCD subjects received neurological and neuropsychological assessments, including the S-FNAME and the Word List task from the Wechsler-Memory-Scale-III (WMS-III). Moreover, they received an MRI and (18)F-Florbetaben Positron-Emission-Tomography (FBB-PET) to measure Aβ burden. Three cognitive factor composites were derived for the episodic memory measures (face-name [SFN-N], face-occupation [SFN-O] and WMS-III) to determine whether episodic memory performance was related to Aβ deposition. Higher global Aβ deposition was significantly related to worse performance on SFN-N but not with SFN-O or WMS-III Composite. Moreover, worse SFN-N performance was significantly related to higher Aβ deposition in bilateral Posterior Cingulate Cortex. The S-FNAME may be a promising neuropsychological tool for detecting SCD individuals with preclinical AD.

Sex differences in episodic memory in early midlife: impact of reproductive aging.

Few have characterized cognitive changes with age as a function of menopausal stage relative to men, or sex differences in components of memory in early midlife. The study aim was to investigate variation in memory function in early midlife as a function of sex, sex steroid hormones, and reproductive status. A total of 212 men and women aged 45 to 55 were selected for this cross-sectional study from a prenatal cohort of pregnancies whose mothers were originally recruited in 1959 to 1966. They underwent clinical and cognitive testing and hormonal assessments of menopause status. Multivariate general linear models for multiple memory outcomes were used to test hypotheses controlling for potential confounders. Episodic memory, executive function, semantic processing, and estimated verbal intelligence were assessed. Associative memory and episodic verbal memory were assessed using Face-Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME) and Selective Reminding Test (SRT), given increased sensitivity to detecting early cognitive decline. Impacts of sex and reproductive stage on performance were tested. Women outperformed men on all memory measures including FNAME (β = -0.30, P < 0.0001) and SRT (β = -0.29, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, premenopausal and perimenopausal women outperformed postmenopausal women on FNAME (initial learning, β= 0.32, P = 0.01) and SRT (recall, β= 2.39, P = 0.02). Across all women, higher estradiol was associated with better SRT performance (recall, β = 1.96, P = 0.01) and marginally associated with FNAME (initial learning, β = 0.19, P = 0.06). This study demonstrated that, in early midlife, women outperformed age-matched men across all memory measures, but sex differences were attenuated for postmenopausal women. Initial learning and memory retrieval were particularly vulnerable, whereas memory consolidation and storage were preserved. Findings underscore the significance of the decline in ovarian estradiol production in midlife and its role in shaping memory function.

Concordance between Subjective and Objective Memory Impairment in Volunteer Subjects.

Subjective memory impairment (SMI) refers to subjective awareness of initial memory decline undetectable with existing standardized cognitive tests. The Face Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME) was created to detect memory deficits in individuals with preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD). We reported normative data of a Spanish version of FNAME (S-FNAME) in cognitively normal (CN) Spanish-speaking subjects >49. To determine whether higher SMI [a modification of Memory Failures Everyday (MFE-30)] was related to worse memory performance (S-FNAME) or associated with greater affective symptoms in subjects >49; and whether MFE-30 and FNAME were able to discriminate between CN and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects. 317 subjects (CN = 196, MCI = 121) were included in the analysis because they attended the annual "Open House Initiative" at Memory Clinic Fundació ACE, were >49 years, literate, received S-FNAME, MFE-30, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, had Mini-Mental State Examination scores ≥27, and returned to complete a comprehensive diagnostic assessment. MFE-30 scores were associated with affective symptoms but not with S-FNAME performance. S-FNAME scores were related to performance on memory variables of NBACE (neuropsychological battery used in Fundació ACE). Although the MCI group showed significantly higher MFE-30 and worse S-FNAME scores than the CN group, their discriminability values were similar (Sensitivity: 49.6 versus 52.9; Specificity: 85.1 versus 83.6, respectively). SMI was more related to depressive symptoms than to S-FNAME memory performance; and S-FNAME scores were related to other episodic memory test performances, but neither to affective symptoms nor to SMI. MFE-30 and S-FNAME are not optimal for discriminating between CN and MCI groups. Longitudinal follow-up will determine if lower S-FNAME and higher SMI are related to increased risk of AD.

Validation of the Spanish Version of the Face Name Associative Memory Exam (S-FNAME) in Cognitively Normal Older Individuals.

The Face Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME) is a paired associative memory test that has demonstrated sensitivity to amyloid burden in cognitively normal individuals, a biomarker of preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Normative data adjusted for age were reported in American healthy individuals older than 57. We aimed to report the psychometric characteristics of a Spanish version of FNAME (S-FNAME) when administered to Spanish-speaking people. We sought to investigate convergent validity of S-FNAME with another memory measure and to identify which demographic characteristics might be associated with performance on S-FNAME. We administered the S-FNAME to 110 literate, cognitively normal, Spanish individuals older than 49 years from the Memory Clinic Fundació ACE. Construct validity of S-FNAME showed 2 components: face-name and face-occupation. A significant correlation between S-FNAME and Word List from the WMS-III supported convergent validity. The S-FNAME was also associated with age and gender. Thus, we provide normative data for age and gender.

Development of a Psychometrically Equivalent Short Form of the Face–Name Associative Memory Exam for use Along the Early Alzheimer’s Disease Trajectory

Neuropsychologists are developing more challenging and specific tests to detect early and subtle changes in cognition related to preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The 16-item Face–Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME-16) is a challenging paired associative memory test able to detect subtle memory changes associated with biomarker evidence of preclinical AD. However, as individuals progress along the AD trajectory, measures that are sensitive at the preclinical stage may become too challenging by the stage of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Our goal was to develop a modified version of the face–name and face–occupation paired associative memory task (FNAME-12) with fewer stimuli and additional learning trials suitable for use in MCI. We administered the FNAME-12A, an alternate version FNAME 12B, the original FNAME-16, and a series of other neuropsychological measures to 65 clinically normal (CN) older adults (aged 65 to 85) and a subsample characterized by MCI (n = 18). The FNAME-12 exhibited psychometric equivalence with the FNAME-16 (r = .77, p < .001) and was correlated with other measures of episodic and semantic memory. The alternate form, FNAME-12B, was highly correlated with FNAME-12A (r = .76, p < .001). Mean performance on the FNAME 12A, stratified by education, was generated. The task could be completed by our MCI group yet remained challenging in the CN group, providing evidence for its utility along the AD trajectory.

Validation of the Face Name Associative Memory Exam in cognitively normal older individuals

The recently developed Face Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME), a challenging paired associative learning task, shows promise in detecting the subtle cognitive changes characteristic of preclinical Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we evaluated the validity and reliability of the FNAME in 210 cognitively normal older individuals (58–90 years of age). Construct validity of the measure was assessed by principal components analysis, which revealed two independent factors. Correlations between the FNAME subtests and another episodic memory test were significant. The results indicated strong test–retest reliability in a subsample (n = 41). Normative data stratified by age were also generated.

Face-name associative memory performance is related to amyloid burden in normal elderly

Cerebral amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition occurs in a substantial fraction of cognitively normal (CN) older individuals. However, it has been difficult to reliably detect evidence of amyloid-related cognitive alterations in CN using standard neuropsychological measures. We sought to determine whether a highly demanding face-name associative memory exam (FNAME) could detect evidence of Aβ-related memory impairment in CN. We studied 45 CN subjects (mean age=71.7±8.8) with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores=0 and MMSE≥28, using Positron Emission Tomography with Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB PET). Memory factor scores were derived from a principal components analysis for FNAME name retrieval (FN-N), FNAME occupation retrieval (FN-O) and the 6-Trial Selective Reminding Test (SRT). Using multiple linear and logistic regression analyses, we related the memory factor scores to PiB distribution volume ratios (DVR, cerebellar reference) as either a continuous or a dichotomous variable in frontal cortex and a posterior cortical region representing the precuneus, posterior cingulate and lateral parietal cortices (PPCLP), co-varying for age and AMNART IQ (a proxy of cognitive reserve (CR)). A significant inverse relationship for FN-N was found with Aβ deposition in frontal (R2=0.29, β=−2.2, p=0.02) and PPCLP cortices (R2=0.26, β=−2.4, p=0.05). In contrast, neither FN-O nor the SRT were significantly related to Aβ deposition. Performance on a demanding test of face-name associative memory was related to Aβ burden in brain regions associated with memory systems. Associative memory for faces and names, a common complaint among older adults, may be a sensitive marker of early Aβ-related impairment.