Validating LASSI-L for older adults in Mexico
Validating LASSI-L for older adults in Mexico
Validity of the Loewenstein–Acevedo Scales of Semantic Interference and Learning (LASSI-L) for Mexican Subjects with Mild and Moderate Cognitive Impairments
Kammar-García et al., Geriatrics (2025)
Validating LASSI-L for older adults in Mexico
Validity of the Loewenstein–Acevedo Scales of Semantic Interference and Learning (LASSI-L) for Mexican Subjects with Mild and Moderate Cognitive Impairments
SUMMARY
This validation study assessed 355 Mexican adults age 60 and older who were classified as cognitively healthy, as having mild cognitive impairment, or as having mild Alzheimer’s disease. Participants completed the LASSI-L and a broader neuropsychological battery. The investigators evaluated construct, concurrent, and predictive validity through group comparisons, correlations with the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, and regression models that controlled for age, education, and medical comorbidity.
LASSI-L scores differed significantly across the three diagnostic groups, and recovery from proactive interference provided the strongest discrimination between cognitively healthy participants and those with MCI or mild Alzheimer’s disease. Semantically cued recall and free recall were robust predictors independent of education, while correlations with the Hopkins test supported concurrent validity. The study provides direct evidence that the LASSI-L is a valid and accessible tool for older adults in Mexico and may be especially valuable for earlier detection in settings where PET, cerebrospinal-fluid, or blood biomarkers are not readily available.
