Cognitive components of verbal fluency In non-demented older adults with cerebrovascular risk factors. A two-year follow-up

Cognitive components of verbal fluency In non-demented older adults with cerebrovascular risk factors. A two-year follow-up

/ Vol 1-Nº 2 – jul-dic 2018 /

Xóchitl Ortiz Jimenéz1,2, Fernando Góngora Rivera1,3, Brenda Saldaña Muñoz1

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the semantic and letter verbal fluency performance of older adults with hypertension and/or diabetes (CVR group) and without these risk factors (NR group).

Method: Participants were 60 older adults, 30 from the CVR group and 30 from de NR group, whom completed a neuropsychological assessment at base- line and after two years. Neuropsychological assessment included a semantic verbal fluency (naming animals) and letter verbal fluency task (naming words that begin with letter f). Correct Responses (CR) were analyzed for both flu- ency tasks, Mean Cluster Size (MC) and Switches (SW) were analyzed for the semantic task, which are measures of Semantic Memory and Controlled Re- trieval, respectively.

Results: There were no differences between groups at baseline in any measure of both verbal fluency tasks (p>.05). After two years, the CVR group had a lower number of CR and SW (8.3±2.2 vs 7.4±2.3, t (29)= 2.0759, p=.02) on the semantic task while the NR group did not. There was no decline in the letter verbal fluency task of both groups.

Conclusion: Semantic Fluency decline is accelerated by cerebrovascular risk factors, specifically because of a reduction in Controlled Retrieval.

1 Center for Research and Development in Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León
2 School of Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León
3 School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León

Corresponding author:
Xóchitl Angélica Ortiz Jiménez, Ph.D.
Facultad de Psicología
Dr. Canseco 110, Col. Mitras Centro, Monterrey N.L. 64460 Email: xortizj@gmail.com

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