Consensus-Harmonized Neuropsychological Assessment for Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Dementia

Adam C Bentvelzen¹, Nicole A Kochan¹, Danit G Saks¹, Russell J Chander¹, Rebecca Koncz^{1

2}, Stina Aam³, Gilberto S Alves⁴, Emily M Briceno⁵, Amy Brodtmann⁶, Chiara Cerami^{7

8}, Una Clancy⁹, Lucette Cysique^{10

11

12}, Ian J Deary¹³, Charles DeCarli¹⁴, Alessandra Dodich¹⁵, Olivier Godefroy¹⁶, Angela C C Jochems⁹, Hanna Jokinen^{17

18}, Yeonwook Kang¹⁹, Frini Karayanidis²⁰, Roy P C Kessels^{21

22

23}, Iiris Kyläheiko^{18

24}, Kurt Lancaster²⁵, Erika J Laukka²⁶, Deborah A Levine²⁷, Anna Marseglia²⁸, Matthew P Pase²⁹, Ruth Peters^{30

31

32}, David P Salmon³³, Emilia Salvadori³⁴, Steven D Shirk^{35

36}, Kathryn A Stokes³⁷, Felipe Kenji Sudo³⁸, Mathew J Summers³⁹, Susan Vandermorris³⁷, Brandon P Vasquez^{37

40}, Perminder S Sachdev^{1

2

41}

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
² National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
³ Department of Geriatric Medicine, Clinic of Medicine, St. Olavs hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
⁴ Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil.
⁵ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor.
⁶ Cognitive Health Initiative, School of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
⁷ IUSS Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS, Pavia, Italy.
⁸ Brain e-Health Aging Laboratory, Department of Neurorehabilitation, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
⁹ Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, UK Dementia Institute Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
¹⁰ The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
¹¹ UNSW Psychology, Faculty of Science, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
¹² St Vincent's Hospital Centre for Applied Medical Research, Sydney, Australia.
¹³ Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
¹⁴ Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and Imaging of Dementia and Aging Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of California at Davis, Sacramento.
¹⁵ Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
¹⁶ Departments of Neurology, Amiens University Hospital, and Laboratory of Functional Neurosciences (UR 4559), Jules Verne University of Picardie, Amiens, France.
¹⁷ Division of Neuropsychology, Neurocenter, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
¹⁸ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
¹⁹ Department of Psychology, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea.
²⁰ School of Psychological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
²¹ Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
²² Radboud UMC Alzheimer Centre, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
²³ Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry, Venray, the Netherlands.
²⁴ Department of Neurology, Kymenlaakso Central Hospital, Kotka, Finland.
²⁵ Alcohol and Drug Service, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
²⁶ Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
²⁷ Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
²⁸ Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
²⁹ School of Psychological Science and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
³⁰ The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia.
³¹ School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
³² School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
³³ Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla.
³⁴ Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milano, Milan, Italy.
³⁵ Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts.
³⁶ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester.
³⁷ Neuropsychology & Cognitive Health Program, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
³⁸ D'Or Institute for Research and Education, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
³⁹ Discipline of Psychology, School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.
⁴⁰ Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
⁴¹ Neuropsychiatric Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, Australia.

PMID: 41364442
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.47948

Free article

Consensus-Harmonized Neuropsychological Assessment for Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Dementia

Adam C Bentvelzen et al. JAMA Netw Open. 2025.

Free article

. 2025 Dec 1;8(12):e2547948.

doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.47948.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
² National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
³ Department of Geriatric Medicine, Clinic of Medicine, St. Olavs hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
⁴ Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil.
⁵ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor.
⁶ Cognitive Health Initiative, School of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
⁷ IUSS Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS, Pavia, Italy.
⁸ Brain e-Health Aging Laboratory, Department of Neurorehabilitation, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
⁹ Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, UK Dementia Institute Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
¹⁰ The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
¹¹ UNSW Psychology, Faculty of Science, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
¹² St Vincent's Hospital Centre for Applied Medical Research, Sydney, Australia.
¹³ Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
¹⁴ Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and Imaging of Dementia and Aging Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of California at Davis, Sacramento.
¹⁵ Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
¹⁶ Departments of Neurology, Amiens University Hospital, and Laboratory of Functional Neurosciences (UR 4559), Jules Verne University of Picardie, Amiens, France.
¹⁷ Division of Neuropsychology, Neurocenter, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
¹⁸ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
¹⁹ Department of Psychology, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea.
²⁰ School of Psychological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
²¹ Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
²² Radboud UMC Alzheimer Centre, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
²³ Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry, Venray, the Netherlands.
²⁴ Department of Neurology, Kymenlaakso Central Hospital, Kotka, Finland.
²⁵ Alcohol and Drug Service, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
²⁶ Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
²⁷ Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
²⁸ Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
²⁹ School of Psychological Science and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
³⁰ The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia.
³¹ School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
³² School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
³³ Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla.
³⁴ Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milano, Milan, Italy.
³⁵ Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts.
³⁶ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester.
³⁷ Neuropsychology & Cognitive Health Program, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
³⁸ D'Or Institute for Research and Education, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
³⁹ Discipline of Psychology, School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.
⁴⁰ Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
⁴¹ Neuropsychiatric Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, Australia.

PMID: 41364442
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.47948

Abstract

Importance: Harmonization of neuropsychological assessment for vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) is important for ensuring the highest standards and consistency of diagnosis. A battery proposed in 2006 by the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Canadian Stroke Network (NINDS-CSN) has received much international support. Considering significant advances in the field, including the rise of computerized and remote assessment methods, a revision is needed.

Objective: To develop an updated harmonized battery and associated assessment guidelines for VCID.

Evidence review: NINDS-CSN and other relevant published harmonized neuropsychological batteries, aided by literature review of recent developments in VCID, were used as reference points for an online Delphi survey (≥3 rounds, ≥75% threshold for agreement), including questions on a core test battery based on key cognitive domains that should be assessed for VCID, consideration of computerized and remote assessment methods, and assessment of diverse populations. International experts in neuropsychological assessment from diverse international regions were invited to participate in 2023. Data were analyzed from October 11, 2023, to June 20, 2024.

Findings: A total of 44 experts participated in 3 survey rounds, with 28 to 31 participants each. Consensus was reached on a core assessment battery of neuropsychological tests based on key cognitive domains, and additional guidelines for a more comprehensive test battery, cognitive screening, telehealth and computerized assessment methods, principles for normative standardization, and the assessment of diverse populations. The key cognitive domains were harmonized with the International Society for Vascular Behavioural and Cognitive Disorders version 2 World Stroke Organization (VasCog-2-WSO) diagnostic criteria for VCID.

Conclusions and relevance: This consensus statement describes the development of a harmonized neuropsychological assessment battery and guidelines for VCID (VasCog-NP) that expands on the NINDS-CSN battery with more comprehensive and flexible assessment of VCID. Harmonized with the VasCog-2-WSO diagnostic criteria, VasCog-NP could be adopted internationally to further help more consistent neuropsychological evaluations related to VCID, facilitating global comparisons for clinicians and researchers.

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Consensus-Harmonized Neuropsychological Assessment for Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Dementia

Affiliations

Consensus-Harmonized Neuropsychological Assessment for Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Dementia

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Miscellaneous