Abstract

SERRANI, Daniel. Spanish Validation of the TYM Test for Dementia Screening in an Argentine Population. Univ. Psychol. [online]. 2014, vol.13, n.1, pp.265-284. ISSN 1657-9267.

The aim of this study is the validation and identification of cut-off scores for a fast neuro-cognitive test, called TYM (Test Your Memory) which goal is dementia screening. It was translated and adapted to meet a sample profiles that dwell in Rosario. Results between patients and normal controls matched for age and gender were compared. To establish cut-off points the TYM test was compared against other standardized well-known test (Test de Lobo or MEC, Addenbrook Cognitive Test in Spanish -Revised or ACE-R and Pfeiffer Test or PFAQ) in two samples of subjects with 50 demented patients and 100 normal controls each one. Patients with dementia completed the TYM with a mean score of 37/50 and controls scored 47/50. Correlation with the other tests was good. A score of <40/50 had a sensibility of 84% (95% CI 82.2-88.7%) and specificity of 95% (95% CI 92.1-96.9%) in dementia. Cut-off scores were settled using ROC curves. TYM detected 97% of dementia patients while MEC and ACE-R detected 78%. Positive and negative predictive value of the TYM with a cut-off score of <40 was 45% y 95% respectively, with a dementia prevalence rate of 5%. This cut-off score was reduced to 39/50 for those subjects with low level education (< 6 years of education). The TYM reveals as a simple, low cost test. Patients and controls completed the test fast and easily and it stands as a valid tool for dementia screening. A prevention must be made, however, against using it with no control by sanitary agents or clinics, who must be in charge of scoring and interpretation of the test results.

Keywords : validation; screening; dementia; memory; cognitive impairment; primary health; neurocognitive test; neurocognitive psychology; dementia; development.

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