Neuropsychologia · Dec 3, 2025

MST in the wild: Optimizing the mnemonic similarity task for use in diverse environments

By Azer L, Vanderlip CR, Mayer LL et al.

BACKGROUND: Clear guidelines and tools for reliable measures of cognitive decline have yet to be established. This may be due to the absence of access to fully automated, self-administered, and scored cognitive screening tools. METHODS: We used the optimized Mnemonic Similarity Task (oMST; Stark et al., 2023), a web computer-based self-administered tool adapted from the MST. The oMST is designed for cognitive screening and population enrichment, offering a superior alternative to traditional neuropsychological tests. We tested the oMST's reliability, validity, and accessibility across five experiments with 1685 participants. RESULTS: Lure discrimination was highly correlated between in-person and remote administration. These results were consistent across various testing sites, demonstrating the oMST's robustness. Importantly, visual acuity did not impact performance. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings establish the oMST as a reliable and accessible tool for cognitive screening across diverse testing environments and administration methods, addressing critical gaps in early screening for cognitive decline.

doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2025.109341Open accessPubMed 41349917Biomarkers