Low educational level effects on the performance of healthy adults on a Neuropsychological Protocol suggested by the Commission on Neuropsychology of the Liga Brasileira de Epilepsia

Abstract

Objective: To assess cognitive measures and impact of education on cognitive performance (CP) of low educational levels healthy adults (LELHA) on a Neuropsychological Protocol (NP) suggested by the Liga Brasileira de Epilepsia. Method: 138 subjects from an Education Program for Adults divided into two, age and gender matched groups of 69 subjects, answered the NP: Group 1 (mean of 6.9±2.95 months of formal education) and Group 2, 47.8±10 months. Data were compared as z-scores. Results: The mean IQ was 77.1±5.50 and 79.4±3.30 in Groups 1 and 2, respectively (p=0.001). Both performed below the normal curve and Group 1 worse than 2. CP correlated with schooling, especially executive functions (54.1% vs 36.2%) and language (52.9% vs 25.7%). Conclusion: LELHA showed significant cognitive impairment in verbal and visuospatial areas. If these results had been obtained in epilepsy patients they would be interpreted as global cognitive impairment. Key words: neuropsychological evaluation, neuropsychological protocol, low educational levels, Liga Brasileira de Epilepsia.Efeitos de baixo nível de escolaridade no desempenho de adultos saudáveis em um protocolo neuropsicológico sugerido pela Comissão de Neuropsicologia da Liga Brasileira de Epilepsia RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o desempenho cognitivo e o impacto do nível de educação formal em indivíduos adultos saudáveis com baixa escolaridade (IASBE) em um protocolo neuropsicológico (PN) sugerido pela Liga Brasileira de Epilepsia. Método: 138 indivíduos do programa EJA -Educação para Jovens e Adultos, divididos em 2 grupos de 69 sujeitos pareados por idade e sexo (6,9±2,95 vs 47,8±10 meses de escolaridade) responderam ao PN. Dados foram convertidos em z-scores. Resultados: O QI médio foi 77,1±5,50 e 79,4±3,30 nos Grupos 1 e 2, respectivamente (p=0,001). Ambos tiveram resultados abaixo da curva normal e o Grupo 1 mostrou pior desempenho do que o 2, especialmente nas funções executivas (54,1% vs 36,2%) e linguagem (52,9% vs 25,7%). Conclusão: IASBE apresentaram comprometimento cognitivo tanto em tarefas verbais como visuoespaciais. Se estes resultados tivessem sido obtidos em pacientes com epilepsia seriam interpretados como indicativos de disfunção cognitiva global. Palavras-Chave: avaliação neuropsicológica, protocolo neuropsicológico, baixo nível de escolaridade, Liga Brasileira de Epilepsia.

Memory impairment is not necessarily related to seizure frequency in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis

“…We found positive correlation between memory performance, educational level, and estimated IQ, in agreement with previous studies with healthy individuals. 30 The estimated IQ is based on vocabulary and block design tests, and vocabulary test is influenced by education. This may justify, at least in part, the low levels of estimated IQ in our series.…”

Ecological validity of the five digit test and the oral trails test

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