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Special edition – UMACE Neurological research studies
Background UMACE
The rationale behind developing the UMACE screening tool is to detect memory and cognitive deficits at an early stage. Understanding the utmost need for developing such an instrument that would detect cognitive impairments at an early stage and would be applicable to all population directed towards developing UMACE. The available screening tools such as MMSE have laid the foundations for neuropsychological testing and UMACE has been structured on the same foundation.
Currently used neuropsychological test instruments are not applicable to most of the population around the world as the assessment is based on restricted criteria. Many research studies done on the available neuropsychological test batteries as MMSE illustrate concerns about detecting cognitive impairments at an early stage and the flexibility of application for global population.
The UMACE test comprises many primary and complex cognitive tasks divided into two sections (Section 1 - Memory recall and basic cognitive domains, Section 2 - Complex cognitive functions and Motor functions) to be able to detect cognitive impairments at an early stage. Most of the population has been focused for this study is the patients with neurological disorders.
The initial development of UMACE started in June 2010 when it raised the need for an instrument that could be used to detect cognitive impairments in the illiterate population while developing a technology-based therapy for dementia. The therapy research work was carried out using available MMSE test with minimal number of participants and the research paper titled: “Cohesion of Cognitive and Technological inference for treating Dementia” was presented at - The Fifth International congress of the Asian Society Against Dementia, Jointly organized by - Asian Society against Dementia, The Chinese Dementia Research Association, The Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists— Hong Kong, Nov. 2011
The UMACE screening tool for memory and cognitive impairments has been developed in three different phases.
* First phase – Development of items with a screening tool kit with verbal and non-verbal tasks with the statistical assessment for tool validity, comparing UMACE with MMSE with two Normal sample groups (Literate and Illiterate N=78).
The research paper based on these studies was presented in Australia 2012
Title - “Using a Multicultural Model to develop a Universal Screening Tool for Cognitive and Memory Impairments” International Psychogeriatric Association International Meeting, Cairns, Australia, 7-11 September, 2012
* Second phase - The UMACE testing was performed for a group of 35 male and female patients with varied psychiatric disorders in a private psychiatric clinic using the original UMACE item structure and was compared with MMSE with a group of 35 male and female Normal population (N=70).
* Third phase - In the third phase different neurological disorder groups were administered in a private neurology clinic for 207 neurological disorder patients.
The additional test assessment functions are added in the third phase to assess the patients with Stroke or similar disorder having disabilities in speech and motor coordination.
The three-phase research work has been carried out in Nasik city, Maharashtra state, India by “Mental Health Aims”, the registered mental health service providers with the affiliation of private psychiatrists and neurologist.
The standardization process for the UMACE screening tool was carried out with the funding award from “Capacity Australia”, a NGO based in Sydney, Australia in 2014 and statistical procedure and research documentation was completed with the help of two Australian authors in 2015
The research paper titled “Excellence in diagnosis in culturally diverse settings: the development of Universal Memory And Cognitive Exam (UMACE), has been presented in the 26th Alzheimer Europe Conference at Copenhagen Denmark, 30th October-2nd November, 2016
Standardization of “UMACE”- Three phase statistical results were drawn between 2014-15, using ROC curve analysis focusing sensitivity and specificity of UMACE test. While standardizing the available new screening tests such as RUDAS & MCog were discussed, to know more refer to the full paper is published in 2018 in the International journal on the following link - http://www.ijhsr.org/IJHSR_Vol.8_Issue.5_May2018/35.pdf
The paper publication link is as follows
(Journal - International Journal of Health Sciences and Research)
http://www.ijhsr.org/IJHSR_Vol.8_Issue.5_May2018/35.pdf
* 26th Alzheimer Europe Conference “Excellence in dementia research and care” Copenhagen, Denmark (31 October- 2 November, 2016)
Presentation and online publication by Alzheimer Europe, Nov. 2016 -
P4.2. Mangal Kardile (India): Excellence in diagnosis in culturally diverse settings: the development of Universal Memory and Cognitive Exam (UMACE)
Online publication link - PPT published by Alzheimer’s Europe -
http://alzheimer-europe.org/Media/Files/7.-Conferences/2016-Copenhagen/P4.2-KARDILE-Mangal
* “Excellence in diagnosis in culturally diverse settings: the development of Universal Memory and Cognitive Exam (UMACE)”, Oral presentation at "The 26th Annual Conference of Alzheimer Europe", Copenhagen, Denmark from 31 Oct.–2 Nov.,2016. UMACE Research paper presentation PPT published by Alzheimer’s Europe http://alzheimer-europe.org/Media/Files/7.-Conferences/2016-Copenhagen/P4.2-KARDILE-Mangal
* 4th international conference on Vascular Dementia June 30-July 02, 2016 Valencia, Spain, Subcortical dementia developed at high altitude in Himalayas – an army case study investigation with MMSE and new UMACE diagnostic tool, Mangal Kardile, J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism 2016, 6:3(Suppl), http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2161-0460.C1.019
* “Using a Multicultural Model to develop an Universal Diagnostic Tool for Cognitive and Memory Impairments”, International Psychogeriatric Association International Meeting, Cairns, Australia,7-11 September, 2012
In 2016, UMACE & UMACE-VIP, screening tests published and used at >11 Dist. Civil hospital Memory clinics, Maharashtra State, training is available for both tests (includes material & Technical manual). In 2019, Special edition of UMACE Neurological case studies available for purchase.
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