Background: The Loewenstein-Acevedo Scale for Semantic Interference and
Learning (LASSI-L) is a novel cognitive test that measures recovery from proactive
semantic interference, which may be an early cognitive marker of Alzheimer’s disease
(AD).
Objective: To generate normative data for a Spaniard population and to
validate the LASSI-L for the diagnosis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and
mild AD.
Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study in which 97 healthy
participants, 34 with aMCI, and 33 with mild AD were studied with LASSI-L and a
comprehensive neuropsychological protocol. The overlapping strategy analysis was used to
maximize the sample size and to provide age- and education-adjusted normative data using a
logistic regression analysis.
Results: Internal consistency was 0.932. Convergent validity with the Free
and Cued Selective Reminding Test was moderate. LASSI-L raw scores were correlated with
age and years of education, but not gender. The area under the curve for discriminating
between healthy controls and aMCI was 0.909, and between healthy controls and mild AD was
0.986. LASSI-L sub-scores representing maximum storage capacity, recovery from proactive
interference, and delayed recall yielded the highest diagnostic accuracy.
Conclusions: The LASSI-L is a reliable and valid test for the diagnosis of
aMCI and mild AD. The age and education influences on the performance of the test and
normative data are provided. LASSI-L merits further studies to evaluate its ability to
detect preclinical AD and predict progression to aMCI and early dementia.
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