The first aim of the observational study is the translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of functional and behavioral scales used in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, for which a formal version in Italian is not available at present. In particular, the study includes the following functional and behavioral scales: the Katz's index (Basic Activities of Daily Living, BADL), the Lawton and Brody's scale (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, IADL), the Everyday Cognition questionnaire (E-Cog), the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) for assessing the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia. Furthermore, a modified Italian version of the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), which integrates and updates the content of the original items (e.g., addressing the use of technologies, M-FAQ) will be used in the validation study.
The second aim is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the M-FAQ, the ECog, and the NPI-Q in terms of reliability and validity.
The third aim is to apply a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to identify cut-offs of IADL, M-FAQ and ECOG to discriminate between different clinical groups (i.e., neurologically unimpaired elderly; Subjective Cognitive Decline, SCD; Mild Cognitive Impairment, MCI; mild Alzheimer's Disease, AD).
Neurologically unimpaired elderly participants (over 60 years old) and participants with SCD, MCI, mild AD, and their caregivers/informants will undergo: i) administration of the translated versions of the scales; ii) administration of a Cognitive Reserve questionnaire. For SCD, MCI and AD participants, data from the clinical neuropsychological evaluation will also be collected, while paper-and-pencil psychometric tests to assess global cognitive functioning (Mini Mental State Examination) and logical-abstract reasoning (Raven's Colored Matrices) will be administered to the neurologically unimpaired participants.