The Diagnostic Value of a Short Memory Test: The TNI-93

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Foucard, Cendrine^a | Palisson, Juliette^a | Belin, Catherine^b | Bereaux, Chloé^a | Dumurgier, Julien^c | Paquet, Claire^c | Degos, Bertrand^{a; d} | Bouaziz-Amar, Elodie^e | Maillet, Didier^b | Houot, Marion^{f; g; h} | Garcin, Béatrice^{a; i; *}

Affiliations: [a] Neurology Department, Avicenne hospital, APHP, Bobigny, Sorbonne Paris Nord, France | [b] Neurology Department, Saint-Louis hospital, APHP, Paris, France | [c] Université de Paris, Cognitive Neurology Center, Lariboisiere - Fernand Widal Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France | [d] Dynamics and Pathophysiology of Neuronal Networks Team, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR7241/INSERM U1150, Université PSL, Paris, France | [e] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - GHU AP-HP.Nord - University of Paris, Lariboisière Hospital; INSERM U1144, University of Paris, Paris, France | [f] Centre of Excellence of Neurodegenerative Disease (CoEN), Salpêtrière Hospital, Boulevard de l’hôpital, Paris, France | [g] Institute of Memory and Alzheimer’s Disease (IM2A), Department of Neurology, Salpêtrière Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France | [h] Clinical Investigation Centre, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France | [i] Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière - ICM, Inserm U1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Dr. Béatrice Garcin, Neurology Department, Avicenne hospital, APHP, Bobigny, France. E-mail: beatrice.garcin@aphp.fr.

Abstract: Background:The TNI-93 is a quick memory test designed for all patients regardless of their education level. A significant proportion of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are illiterate or poorly educated, and only a few memory tests are adapted for these patients. Objective:In this study we aimed at assessing the diagnostic value of the TNI-93 for diagnosis of patients with biologically confirmed amyloid status. Methods:We included all patients who had an analysis of AD cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, a neuropsychological assessment including a TNI-93 and an anatomical brain imaging at Avicenne Hospital between January 2009 and November 2019. We compared the TNI-93 scores in patients with amyloid abnormalities (A+) and patients without amyloid abnormalities (A-) according to the AT(N) diagnostic criteria. Results:108 patients were included (mean age: 66.9±8.5 years old, mean education level: 8.9±5.2 years). Patients from the A + group (N= 80) were significantly more impaired than patients from the A- group (N= 28) on immediate recall (A+: 5.9±2.8; A-: 7.4±2.6; p = 0.001), free recall (A+: 3.5±2.7; A-: 5.9±2.8; p ≤ 0.001), total recall (A+: 5.7±3.5; A-:7.8±2.8; p ≤ 0.001), and on number of intrusions during the recall phase (A+: 1±1.8; A-: 0.1±0.3; p = 0.002). ROC curves revealed that the best scores to discriminate A + from A- patients were immediate recall (Area under curve (AUC): 0.70), number of encoding trials (AUC: 0.73), free recall (AUC: 0.74), and total recall (AUC: 0.74). Conclusion:The TNI-93’s immediate, free, and total recalls are valuable tools for the 39 diagnosis of AD.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, AT(N), cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, illiteracy, memory test, neuropsychology

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-210546

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 84, no. 4, pp. 1461-1471, 2021