Short-term memory, attention, and temporal orientation as predictors of the cognitive impairment in older adults: A cross-sectional observational study.

Isabel Gómez-Soria,Chelo Ferreira,Rosa Mª Magallón Botaya,Bárbara Oliván Blazquez,Estela Calatayud,Luigi Lavorgna

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0261313

Isabel Gómez-Soria, Chelo Ferreira + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0261313

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Abstract

Late-life cognitive decline ranges from the mildest cases of normal, age-related change to mild cognitive impairment to severe cases of dementia. Dementia is the largest global burden for the 21st century welfare and healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to analyze the neuropsychological constructs (temporal orientation (TO), spatial orientation (SO), fixation memory (FM), attention (A), calculation (C), short-term memory (STM), language (L), and praxis (P)), semantic fluency, level of functionality, and mood that reveal the greatest deficit in the different stages ranging from normal cognition (NC) to cognitive impairment in older adults in a primary healthcare setting. The study included 337 participants (102 men, 235 women), having a mean age of 74 ± 6 years. According to their scores on the Spanish version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MEC-35), subjects were divided into 4 groups: no deterioration (ND) (score 32–35), subtle cognitive impairment (SCI) (score 28–31), level deterioration (LD) (score 24–27) and moderate deterioration (MD) (score 20–23). The ND group revealed significant differences in TO, STM, C, A, L, P, and S-T as compared to the other groups. The MD group (in all the neuropsychological constructs) and the ND and SCI groups showed significant differences on the Yesavage geriatric depression scale (GDS-15). All except the FM neuropsychological construct were part of the MEC-35 prediction model and all of the regression coefficients were significant for these variables in the model. Furthermore, the highest average percentage of relative deterioration occurs between LD and MD and the greatest deterioration is observed in the STM for all groups, including A and TO for the LD and MD groups. Based on our findings, community programs have been implemented that use cognitive stimulation to prevent cognitive decline and to maintain the neuropsychological constructs.

Highlights

Aging is a multifactorial process having modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors [1]
The results demonstrated the differences existing between the neuropsychological constructs, functionality, and mood based on the cognitive level in four groups of older individuals, in
We must not forget that cognitive aspects such as STM, A, and TO suffer a greater deterioration in all participant groups, they should be reinforced in the interventions by including techniques of orientation to reality and external aid

Summary

Introduction

Aging is a multifactorial process having modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors [1]. Modifiable risk factors have been defined by several authors who have classified them into sociodemographic, environmental [2], clinical, lifestyle [2,3], and cognitive [3] groups. Age is the most important socio-demographic risk factor for cognitive decline [4]. Lifestyle-related factors have been associated with cognitive impairment [5]. Cognitive decline in later life has numerous causes, and each may be associated with different risk or protective factors [7]. The improvement of modifiable risk factors and cognitive stimulation (CS), are considered effective means of ensuring healthy aging [1]. Late-life cognitive decline ranges from the mildest cases of normal, age-related change to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to severe dementia [8]

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