Single task-level, 2SD-based cutoffs for the Italian version of the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS screen (ECAS)

Abstract

The present study aimed at deriving, by means of a traditional “2 standard deviation-based” (2SD) approach, single task-level cutoffs for the Italian version of the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS Screen (ECAS). Cutoffs were derived – as M-2*SD – from the sample of healthy participants (HPs) included within 2016 Poletti et al.’s normative study – N = 248; 104 males; age: 57.8 ± 10.6; education: 14.1 ± 4.6 – separately for the four, original demographic classes: 1) education <14 years and age ≤60 years; 2) education <14 years and age >60 years; 3) education ≥14 years and age ≤60 years; 4) education ≥14 years and age >60 years. The prevalence of deficits on each task was then estimated within a cohort of N = 377 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients without dementia. The distribution of abnormal performance prevalences was overall consistent with the cognitive phenotype of ALS. In conclusion, the single task-level cutoffs herewith provided for the Italian version of the ECAS, which complement those already available within Poletti et al.’s normative framework, will help better profile Italian ALS patients’ cognitive phenotype within both clinical and research settings.

Keywords:

• Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS Screen
• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• frontotemporal degeneration
• cognitive screening
• neuropsychology

Acknowledgments

The Authors are thankful to patients and their caregivers. Roberta Ferrucci was supported from the Ravelli Research Center (CRC) for Neurotechnology and Brain Therapeutics, University of Milan.

Ethical approval

Participants provided informed consent. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano (I.D.: 2013_06_25).

Disclosure statement

V. S. received compensation for consulting services and/or speaking activities from AveXis, Cytokinetics, Italfarmaco, Liquidweb S.r.l., Novartis Pharma AG and Zambon, receives or has received research supports from the Italian Ministry of Health, AriSLA, and E-Rare Joint Transnational Call. He is in the Editorial Board of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration, European Neurology, American Journal of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Frontiers in Neurology and Exploration of Neuroprotective Therapy. B.P. received compensation for consulting services and/or speaking activities from Liquidweb S.r.l B.P is Associated Editor for Frontiers in Neuroscience. N. T. received compensation for consulting services from Amylyx Pharmaceuticals and Zambon Biotech SA. He is Associate Editor for Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

Data availability statement

Datasets associated with the present study are available upon reasonable request of interested researchers at the following link: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7999809.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health to IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano (Ricerca Corrente, project 23C302) and partially supported by the Italian Ministry of Health to Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico.