Convenient Auditory-Based Language and Executive Function Test (CABLET)

Abstract

The Convenient Auditory-Based Language and Executive Function Test (CABLET; Ohdake et al., 2023) was developed as a concise, auditory-based language and executive function test for the swift detection of cognitive impairment in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), aiming to reduce the burden on motor function. Designed as a receptive task utilizing spoken words, the CABLET comprises two main tests: Test 1, which involves word repetition and lexical judgment, and Test 2, which assesses verbal short-term memory and semantic knowledge. Data for its development and validation were collected from ALS patients and healthy controls. The study reported findings regarding the reliability and validity of the instrument.

Keywords

Cognitive Test, Auditory-Based Language, Rapid Detection of Cognitive Impairment, Executive Function Test, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Cognitive Dysfunction, Executive Function, Neuropsychological Tests, Auditory Perception, Word Repetition, Lexical Judgment, Verbal Short-Term Memory, Semantics Knowledge.

Authors

Ohdake, Reiko; Watanabe, Hirohisa; Kawabata, Kazuya; Ogura, Aya; Sato, Maki; Tanaka, Yasuhiro; Imai, Kazunori; Masuda, Michihito; Kato, Toshiyasu; Yokoi, Takamasa; Hara, Kazuhiro; Nakamura, Ryoichi; Atsuta, Naoki; Nakagawa, Masafumi; Katsuno, Masahisa; Sobue, Gen.

---

Purpose

The CABLET is a tool specifically designed to identify amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with cognitive impairment.

Validity

Test Sensitivity and Specificity: Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses indicated that both the CABLET total score and Test 2 demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy. The area under the curve (AUC) for the total score was 0.894, and for Test 2, it was 0.893. Test 2 exhibited the highest sensitivity, reaching 100% with a specificity of 71.4%. No significant difference in AUC was observed when analyses were conducted with and without age, education, and disease severity as covariates.

Convergent and Discriminant Validity: Good convergent validity with ALS-specific functions was identified, as evidenced by a significant correlation between the CABLET score and a composite z-score encompassing both language and executive functions (total: r = 0.630; Test 2: r = 0.645, p < 0.001 for both). Conversely, composite z-scores for memory and visuospatial functions, considered ALS-nonspecific functions, did not significantly correlate with either the CABLET total or Test 2 scores (total: r = 0.168, p = 0.208; Test 2: r = 0.166, p = 0.213), thereby demonstrating discriminant validity.

Reliability

No reliability data is available.

Factor Analysis

No factor analysis data is available.

Instrument: Convenient Auditory-Based Language and Executive Function Test (CABLET)

Test Type: Original task.

Format: The test is administered using paper.

• Test 1: If participants scored 4 points or less on the word repetition task, they were deemed inappropriate to proceed to Test 2. The maximum score for Test 1 is 32 points, and the administration time is approximately 1 minute.

• Test 2: For all sequence patterns, the examiner initiated with a 7-span task to quickly detect ALS cognitive impairment. If the participant correctly answered either of the two trials for a given pattern, they would proceed to a longer span task (8 spans); if the first trial was correct, the second trial was not required. If answers in both trials were incorrect, the pattern would shift to a shorter span task (6 spans). Participants progressed to the next span task according to these rules only after completing the 7-span task for each sequence pattern. The final span length for each sequence pattern was used as the score. A score of 0 points was assigned if the participant incorrectly completed the minimum 4-span task. The maximum score for Test 2 is 40 points.

Language Available: Japanese.

Population Group: Human; Male; Female.

Age Group: Adulthood (18 yrs & older); Middle Age (40-64 yrs); Aged (65 yrs & older).

Population Details: Respondents were patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis from Japan.

Test Methodology: Test Validity, Convergent Validity, Discriminant Validity, Test Sensitivity, Test Specificity.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier:

Kawabata, Kazuya: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8851-4377

Affiliation:

• Nagoya University Brain and Mind Research Center: Ohdake, Reiko; Watanabe, Hirohisa; Sobue, Gen.

• Nagoya University Department of Neurology: Kawabata, Kazuya; Ogura, Aya; Sato, Maki; Tanaka, Yasuhiro; Imai, Kazunori; Masuda, Michihito; Kato, Toshiyasu; Yokoi, Takamasa; Hara, Kazuhiro; Nakamura, Ryoichi; Katsuno, Masahisa.

• Aichi Medical University: Atsuta, Naoki.

• International University of Health and Welfare: Nakagawa, Masafumi.

Email addresses:

Watanabe, Hirohisa: [email protected]

Correspondence Address:

Watanabe, Hirohisa: Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, 1-98, Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Aichi, Toyoake, Japan, 470-1192, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact Corresponding Author.
Fee: No.
Test Year: 2023.

References

Ohdake, R., Watanabe, H., Kawabata, K., Ogura, A., Sato, M., Tanaka, Y., Imai, K., Masuda, M., Kato, T., Yokoi, T., Hara, K., Nakamura, R., Atsuta, N., Nakagawa, M., Katsuno, M., & Sobue, G. (2023). Convenient auditory-based language and executive function test for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A pilot study. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 38(1), 57–71. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acac069

Items of the Convenient Auditory-Based Language and Executive Function Test (CABLET)

No data is Available.