Indian older adults and the digit span A preliminary report

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The digit span test is widely used to assess attention and working memory. It is a portable, relatively culture-free and frequently used test. However, the cultural validity of this test, particularly in the Indian older population, is not well established. Objective: This study explores the usefulness of the digit span test for Indian older adults with different levels of education. Methods: Two hundred and fifty-eight community-dwelling healthy normal older adults formed the sample of this study. All study participants were screened using a semi-structured interview schedule, the modified MINI Screen, the Indian version of the Mini-Mental State Examination, a measure of activities of daily living and the digit span test administered verbally. Results: The results indicated that participants with higher educational level performed significantly better than low-educated participants on the digit span test. Participants with low education often struggled with the digit span test and resorted to guessing the digits. Conclusion: Our study clearly demonstrates that the digit span test can be useful for educated participants. However, its usefulness and ecological validity is questionable for those with low education and low literacy, warranting future research.

Decision making under ambiguity and risk in adolescent-onset schizophrenia

“…Executive function plays an inevitable role in DM behaviors, and IGT was called as“hot”executive function in the previous studies [ 59 , 60 ]. Meanwhile, there is a positive correlation between net/total score on IGT and score on the digital span backward but not the digital span forward in the present study, which may be most likely attributed to the asumption that digital span backward required more cognitive processing, especially depending on the executive resources [ 61 ]. These associations concurred with those shown in other previous studies [ 34 , 39 , 62 ].…”

Efeito do treinamento musical em idosos candidatos ao uso de próteses auditivas

“…A escolaridade, média etária menor e melhor nível sócio econômico podem ter contribuído para o melhor desempenho do GE (Tabelas 2 e 3). Tais variáveis já foram discutidas em outro estudo internacional 25 .…”

Randomised parallel trial on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in screening gait disorder of silent cerebrovascular disease assisted by artificial intelligent system versus clinical doctors (ACCURATE-1): study protocol

“…All subjects will be evaluated based on the following scales under the guidance of a trained doctor: (1) MMSE:12 evaluates time and place orientation, immediate and delayed memory, attention and computation, naming, retelling, listening comprehension, reading and expression and visual-spatial ability, with scores ranging from 0 to 30; (2) MoCA:13 evaluates visual space, executive function, naming, memory, attention, language, abstraction and orientation, scores ranging from 0 to 30; (3) Colour Word Test14 (CWT): evaluates semantic activation, dominant response inhibition, attention, working memory, information processing speed, etc. ; (4) Digit Span Test15 (DST): evaluates immediate memory and attention; (5) Verbal Fluency Test16 (VFT): evaluates language capabilities; (6) TUG:9 evaluates the total time subjects will take to complete it, with the average value obtained after three repetitions; (7) 10- Metre Walk Test17 (10 MWT): the subjects will walk 10 m in a straight line at normal walking speed, while the time and number of steps required for the subject to complete the 10 MWT will be recorded, with the average value obtained after three repetitions; (8) Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment18 (TinettiPOMA): this includes balance and gait tests, with a maximum score of 28. A score between 19 and 24 indicates a risk of falling, while a score below 19 indicates a high risk of falling 19…”