(Kobayashi et al., 2024)

The Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) is a major innovation that provides, for the first time, harmonized data for cross-national comparisons of later-life cognitive functions that are sensitive to linguistic, cultural, and educational differences across countries. However, cognitive function does not lend itself to direct comparison across diverse populations without careful consideration of the best practices for such comparisons. This perspective discusses theoretical and methodological considerations and offers a set of recommended best practices for conducting cross-national comparisons of risk factor associations using HCAP data. 

(Briceño et al., 2026)

The Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) neuropsychological assessment approach aims to support the collection of harmonizable data on cognitive function for cross-national cognitive aging and dementia research. As the measurement of cognition is sensitive to differences in contextual, cultural, educational, linguistic, social, and other factors that may influence cognitive test performance, HCAP requires adaptation to be appropriate for the contexts in which it is administered. We aim to provide methodological recommendations for the adaptation and implementation of the HCAP and other cognitive data collection tools in novel settings.

(Gross et al., 2025)

Harmonized cognitive batteries are crucial for studying cognitive impairment and dementia in aging populations globally. Challenges persist in administering them in a way that maintains both cross-national comparability and local validity to measure cognitive functioning across settings. In this perspective, we review the approach undertaken in the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) network of studies and propose that the core identity of the HCAP lies not in a fixed set of tests but in a fixed-flexible, cross-culturally adaptive measurement architecture.