Table 1.
Harmonization Level 1 Protocol
| # | Domain | Format | Completion time (min.) | Mode of administration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Demographic inventory Use COVID-19 Neuro Network CRF |
CRF Questionnaire |
5–10 | Self Can be aided by informant In-person or telehealth* Email or secure mailing of questionnaires may be used* Use medical records Use information from treating doctors |
| 2 | Medical history questionnaires includes CNS symptoms Use COVID-19 Neuro Network CRF and added scales |
CRF Questionnaire |
10–20 | |
| 3 | Neurocognitive screens | Standard screening test** | 10–20 | In-person or telehealth |
| 4 | 6-items- Smell and taste questionnaire | Questionnaire | 1–2 | In-person or telehealth* Email or secure mailing of questionnaires may be used* Self Can be aided by informant |
| 5 | Cognitive symptoms questionnaire | Questionnaire | 4–5 | |
| 6 | Mental and Psychosocial health | Questionnaire | 5–8 |
NB: the protocol material is available in Supplementary Material 1
Some information may be filled out by participants/patients and their informants at their convenience within 3 days of the screen exam.
We also recommend the Brief Test of Adult Cognition Telephone (BTACT; Tun & Lachman, 2006) as a potential alternative to the MOCA-5/T-MoCA as the standard screening test. The BTACT is composed of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Third Edition (WAIS-III) Digit Span Backwards, Category Fluency test, Red/Green test, Number series and Backward counting. The BTACT was originally developed to monitor the effects of aging on cognition; thus, it assesses wider neurocognitive function than dementia screening tools (Bodien et al., 2018; Dams-O’Connor, Landau, Hoffman, & St De Lore, 2018). The administration time is 15–20 minutes. The BTACT has high validity with other pen & paper tests and has good reliability, hence the in-person test version can be alternatively used when possible. The testing procedure includes accuracy checks and time of completion. There are four alternate versions (1 original + 3 alternatives) to minimize practice effects on repeated assessments. The subtests examine episodic memory, working memory, reasoning, verbal fluency, and executive function and there is an option to calculate a composite score. The English, Spanish and French versions of the BTACT have been normed (Lachman, Agrigoroaei, Tun, & Weaver, 2013). Importantly, the BTACT can be accessed and used for free with permission by the developer (version A-B contact Dr. Lachman; versions C-D contact Dr. Silverberg).