OBJECTIVES: Effective translation and adaptation of neuropsychological assessments is paramount to the successful collection of data in a global context. The structure and content of neuropsychological assessments requires specific processes for translation and adaptation to ensure appropriate understanding in each target language. Word list adaptation requires particular consideration, as various criteria must be met within and between wordlists – including but not limited to frequency, familiarity and cultural relevance to the target population, number of syllables, and avoidance of homonyms and repeated words. This review highlights important considerations for creation of target language word lists, and solutions for determining appropriate adaptation methodologies. METHODS: A review of previous translations of neuropsychological assessments, such as the ADAS, FCSRT, RBANS, MoCA, and MMSE, was performed. A review of translation procedures, developer involvement, guidelines for adaptation, translation methodology, linguistic decisions, and word list creation was conducted.   RESULTS: Key solutions to ensure successful adaptation of wordlists include: 1) Outline all criteria used to develop the English word lists and assessment, 2) Create clear guidelines for adaptation of word lists in collaboration with the developer, if guidelines are not already available, 3) Employ a specialized project team of project managers, native-speaking medical linguists, and native-speaking neuropsychologists possessing extensive expertise in the relevant neuropsychological assessments. 4) Depending upon the assessment and the context of use, additional testing of the word lists with local populations to ensure comprehension may be warranted. CONCLUSIONS: Neuropsychological assessments and word lists require specialized translation and adaptation methodologies to ensure appropriate comprehension by the target population. Developer involvement in the creation of adaptation guidelines, and neuropsychologist involvement in the adaptation process are critical to ensuring adaptation is conducted appropriately. Further research is required to outline clear guidelines for situations requiring additional testing of the word lists with local populations to ensure comprehension.