BackgroundThe LatAm FINGERS project aims to promote lifestyle changes for dementia prevention through a two-year multidomain non-pharmacological intervention across Latin America including 11 countries in theregion. Prior to the intervention, participants were assessed using BrainHQ, a digital cognitive platform with adaptive exercises, and the LatAm Neuropsychological Test Battery (LatAm-NTB) to establish baseline cognitiveperformance and examine coherence between digital and traditional measures.
ObjectivesTo examine the relationship between age and education and BrainHQ performance, and to evaluate the convergent validity between BrainHQ and LatAm-NTB cognitive composites.
MethodsThe total sample included 1,099 participants: 74.7% were women. The mean age was 67.4 years (SD=4.7). The average number of years of education was 13.5 (SD=4.6). Regarding global cognitive/functionalstatus, 69.8% of participants had a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) of 0 and 30.2% had a CDR of 0.5. The mean Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score was 27.3 (SD=1.7). A BrainHQ composite was calculated as themean of z-scores from three digital tasks (Double Decision, Mind Bender, Target Tracker). LatAm-NTB composites were computed for Memory (Logical Memory Immediate Recall, Logical Memory Delayed Recall),Executive Functions (Digit Span Forward, Backward and Sequencing, Trail Making Test A-B, Stroop, Phonological and Semantic Verbal Fluency, Concept Shifting Test - Condition C), and Processing Speed (Trail Making TestA, Stroop C, Concept Shifting Test - Condition A, Digit SymbolTest-WAIS IV). Pearson correlations were calculated.
ResultsBrainHQ performance was negatively associated with age (r = -0.24, p < 0.001) and positively associated with education (r = 0.40, p < 0.001). Strong correlations were observed between the BrainHQ composite andProcessing Speed (r = 0.45, p < 0.001) and Executive Functions (r = 0.45, p < 0.001). A weaker but significant association was found with Memory (r = 0.21, p < 0.001).
ConclusionBrainHQ performance is significantly related to age, education, and core cognitive domains assessed by the LatAm-NTB, particularly processing speed and executive functions, with a more modestly withepisodic memory. These findings support the validity of using digital platforms such as BrainHQ for assessing cognitive functioning in Latin-American older adults, providing initial evidence of coherence betweentraditional and digital cognitive measures.