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Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology Advance Access published online on March 12, 2009
Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, doi:10.1093/arclin/acp009
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the National Academy of Neuropsychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.

Neuropsychological Profile of Brazilian Older Adults with Heterogeneous Educational Backgrounds

Mônica S. Yassudaa,b,*, Breno S.O. Diniza, Mariana K. Flaksa, Luciane F. Violaa, Fernanda S. Pereiraa, Paula V. Nunesa and Orestes V. Forlenzaa

a Psychogeriatric Unit, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
b Department of Gerontology, School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

* Corresponding author at: Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM 27), Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Rua Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos, 785 Cerqueira César, 05403-010 São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Tel.: +55-11-3069-7267; fax: +55-11-3069-7924. E-mail address: yassuda{at}usp.br (M. S. Yassuda).


  Abstract

Education significantly impacts cognitive performance of older adults even in the absence of dementia. Some cognitive tests seem less vulnerable to the influence of education and thus may be more suitable for cognitive assessment of older adults with heterogeneous backgrounds. The objective of this study was to investigate which tests in a cognitive battery were less influenced by educational levels in a sample of cognitively unimpaired older Brazilians. In addition, we evaluated the impact of very high educational levels on cognitive performance. The cognitive battery consisted of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Cambridge Cognitive Test (CAMCOG), Clock Drawing Test, Short Cognitive Performance Test (SKT), Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT), Fuld Object Memory Evaluation (FOME), Verbal Fluency Test (VF) fruit category, Trail Making Test A and B, WAIS-R Vocabulary, and Block Design. Education did not exert a significant influence on the RBMT, FOME, and VF (p < .05). Subjects with very high educational levels had similar performance on the latter tests when compared with those with intermediate and low levels of education. In conclusion, the RBMT, FOME, and VF fruit category seem to be appropriate tools for the assessment of cognitive function in elderly Brazilians with varying degrees of educational attainment.

Keywords Cognitive tests; Neuropsychology; Elderly; Cognition; Cognitive aging; Literacy

Accepted: September 23, 2008


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