Top

Published in:

Open Access 01-02-2022 | Original Article

The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and its sub-scales: validation and updated normative data in an Italian population sample

Authors: Edoardo Nicolò Aiello, Antonella Esposito, Chiara Gramegna, Valentina Gazzaniga, Stefano Zago, Teresa Difonzo, Ildebrando Marco Appollonio, Nadia Bolognini

Published in: Neurological Sciences | Issue 2/2022

Abstract

Background

Deficits of executive functioning (EF) are frequently found in neurological disorders. The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) is one of the most widespread and psychometrically robust EF screeners in clinical settings. However, in Italy, FAB norms date back to 15 years ago; moreover, its validity against “EF-loaded” global cognitive screeners (e.g., the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA) has yet to be tested. This study thus aimed at (a) providing updated normative data for the Italian FAB and (b) assessing its convergent validity with the MoCA.

Methods

Four-hundred and seventy-five healthy Italian native speakers (306 females, 169 males; mean age: 61.08 ± 15.1; mean education: 11.67 ± 4.57) were administered by the MoCA and the FAB. FAB items were divided into three subscales: FAB-1 (linguistically mediated EF), FAB-2 (planning), and FAB-3 (inhibition). Regression-based norms were derived (equivalent scores) for all FAB measures.

Results

Age and education were predictive of all FAB measures, whereas no gender differences were detected. The FAB and its sub-scales were related to MoCA measures—the strongest associations being found with MoCA total and MoCA-EF scores. FAB sub-scales were both internally related and associated with FAB total scores.

Discussion

The FAB proved to have convergent validity with both global cognitive and EF measures in healthy individuals. The present study provides updated normative data for the FAB and its sub-scales in an Italian population sample, and thus supports an adaptive usage of this EF screener.

Available only for authorised users

Jurado MB, Rosselli M (2007) The elusive nature of executive functions: a review of our current understanding. Neuropsychol Rev 17:213–233CrossRef

Godefroy O, Martinaud O, Narme P, Joseph PA, Mosca C, Lhommée E, Meulemans T, Czernecki V, Bertola C, Labauge P, Verny M (2018) Dysexecutive disorders and their diagnosis: a position paper. Cortex 109:322–335CrossRef

Chan RC, Shum D, Toulopoulou T, Chen EY (2008) Assessment of executive functions: review of instruments and identification of critical issues. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 23:201–216CrossRef

Moreira HS, Costa AS, Castro SL, Lima CF, Vicente SG (2017) Assessing executive dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders: a critical review of brief neuropsychological tools. Front Aging Neurosci 9:369CrossRef

Dubois B, Slachevsky A, Litvan I, Pillon BFAB (2000) The FAB: a frontal assessment battery at bedside. Neurology 55:1621–1626CrossRef

Appollonio I, Leone M, Isella V, Piamarta F, Consoli T, Villa ML, Forapani E, Russo A, Nichelli P (2005) The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB): normative values in an Italian population sample. Neurol Sci 26:108–116CrossRef

Hurtado-Pomares M, Carmen Terol-Cantero M, Sánchez-Pérez A, Peral-Gómez P, Valera-Gran D, Navarrete-Muñoz EM (2018) The frontal assessment battery in clinical practice: a systematic review. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 33:237–251CrossRef

Iavarone A, Ronga B, Pellegrino L, Loré E, Vitaliano S, Galeone F, Carlomagno S (2004) The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB): normative data from an Italian sample and performances of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. Funct Neurol 19:191–195PubMed

Siciliano M, Chiorri C, Battini V, Sant’Elia V, Altieri M, Trojano L, Santangelo G (2019) Regression-based normative data and equivalent scores for Trail Making Test (TMT): an updated Italian normative study. Neurol Sci 40:469–477CrossRef

10.

Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR (1975) “Mini-mental state”: a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. J Psychiatr Res 12:189–198CrossRef

11.

Nasreddine ZS, Phillips NA, Bédirian V, Charbonneau S, Whitehead V, Collin I, Cummings JL, Chertkow H (2005) The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc 53:695–699CrossRef

12.

Santangelo G, Siciliano M, Pedone R, Vitale C, Falco F, Bisogno R, Siano P, Barone P, Grossi D, Santangelo F, Trojano L (2015) Normative data for the Montreal Cognitive Assessment in an Italian population sample. Neurol Sci 36:585–591CrossRef

13.

Siciliano M, Raimo S, Tufano D, Basile G, Grossi D, Santangelo F, Trojano L, Santangelo G (2016) The Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination Revised (ACE-R) and its sub-scores: normative values in an Italian population sample. Neurol Sci 37:385–392CrossRef

14.

Conti S, Bonazzi S, Laiacona M, Masina M, Coralli MV (2015) Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)-Italian version: regression based norms and equivalent scores. Neurol Sci 36:209–214CrossRef

15.

Brugnolo A, De Carli F, Accardo J, Amore M, Bosia LE, Bruzzaniti C, Cappa SF, Cocito L, Colazzo G, Ferrara M, Ghio L (2016) An updated Italian normative dataset for the Stroop color word test (SCWT). Neurol Sci 37:365–372CrossRef

16.

Tremolizzo L, Lizio A, Santangelo G, Diamanti S, Lunetta C, Gerardi F, Messina S, La Foresta S, Riva N, Falzone Y, Filippi M, Woolley SC, Sansone V, Siciliano M, Ferrarese C, Appollonio I, ALS-CBS Italian Study Group (2020) ALS Cognitive Behavioral Screen (ALS-CBS): normative values for the Italian population and clinical usability. Neurol Sci 41:835–841CrossRef

17.

Rothstein HR, Borenstein M, Cohen J, Pollack S (1990) Statistical power analysis for multiple regression/correlation: a computer program. Educ Psychol Measur 50:819–830CrossRef

18.

Champely S (2020) pwr: Basic functions for power analysis (R package version 1.3–0) [Computer software]. The Comprehensive R Archive Network. Available from https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=pwr. Accessed 20 Feb 2020

19.

Kim HY (2013) Statistical notes for clinical researchers: assessing normal distribution (2) using skewness and kurtosis. Restor Dent Endod 38:52–54CrossRef

20.

Capitani E, Laiacona M (2017) Outer and inner tolerance limits: their usefulness for the construction of norms and the standardization of neuropsychological tests. Clin Neuropsychol 31:1219–1230CrossRef

21.

Spinnler H, Tognoni G (1987) Standardizzazione e taratura italiana di test neuropsicologici. Ital J Neurol Sci 6:1–120

22.

IBM Corp (2021) IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27.0. Armonk: IBM Corp

23.

R Core Team (2019) R: A Language and environment for statistical computing. (Version 3.6.3) [Computer software]. Retrieved from https://cran.r-project.org. Accessed 20 Feb 2020

24.

Aiello EN, Depaoli EG (2021) Norms and standardizations in neuropsychology via equivalent scores: software solutions and practical guides. Neurol Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-021-05374-0

25.

Siqueira GS, Hagemann PDM, Coelho DDS, Santos FHD, Bertolucci PH (2019) Can MoCA and MMSE be interchangeable cognitive screening tools? A systematic review. Gerontologist 59:e743–e763CrossRef

Title: The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and its sub-scales: validation and updated normative data in an Italian population sample
Authors: Edoardo Nicolò Aiello
Antonella Esposito
Chiara Gramegna
Valentina Gazzaniga
Stefano Zago
Teresa Difonzo
Ildebrando Marco Appollonio
Nadia Bolognini
Publication date: 01-02-2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Published in: Neurological Sciences / Issue 2/2022
Print ISSN: 1590-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1590-3478
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-021-05392-y

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and its sub-scales: validation and updated normative data in an Italian population sample

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Discussion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Discussion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 2/2022

Perampanel for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Norms and standardizations in neuropsychology via equivalent scores: software solutions and practical guides

Rapidly progressive dementia and intractable diarrhea: a teaching case report and a systematic review of cognitive impairment in Whipple’s disease

Risk factors for the occurrence and recurrence of acute cerebellar ataxia: a retrospective observational study

Burden of Parkinson’s disease in Sicily: a health administrative database study

Posteroinferior cerebellar artery (PICA) infarction and central VII nerve palsy: two clinical reports