Assessment of Cognitive Functions in Nonagenarians with Different Educational Levels Comparing Controls and Alzheimer’s Patients

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess elderly nonagenarians without a diagnosis of dementia and compare them with a group of Alzheimer’s patients in measures of cognitive functions such as executive functions and verbal fluency. 30 patients without diagnosis of dementia and 41 diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, male and female, attending an outpatient geriatrics clinic in Brazil were clinically and neuropsychologically assessed. Methods: Patients undergone clinical anamnesis and neuropsychiatric testing, via the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (Folstein et. al, 1975), the Verbal Fluency (VF) - Version Animals, Fruits and Words with letter ‘M’ (Brucki et. al, 2003), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), abbreviated version with 15 items (Yesavage et. al, 1983) and the Functional Activities Questionnaire Pfeffer (PFAQ) (Pfeffer et. al, 1982). Results showed higher means in Verbal Fluency test – Animal version in groups of lower schooling. Another important result was the lack of statistical correlation between schooling and cognitive testing. MMSE seems to be the best tool to differentiate Alzheimer's dementia in nonagenarians, except for a highly educated population. Results: The results obtained point to the possibility of variation in cognitive measures of nonagenarians, from normal development to the ones affected by Alzheimer's disease. In addition, the instruments used, might be a reference for the diagnosis of those conditions in that age group.