Measures of cognitive reserve in Alzheimer's disease
INTRODUCTION: Cognitive reserve (CR), a hypothetical construct used to obtain information about cognitive aging, describes the capacity of the adult brain to cope with the effects of neurodegenerative processes. This study evaluated CR using a CR questionnaire (CRQ) and a set of variables (education, leisure activities, lifelong occupation) that inform CR. It also developed a CR index, validated the CRQ, and examined the correlation between the different CR measures.METHODS: Functional and neuropsychological capacities of 75 outpatients (mean age: 80.2 years) with a probable AD diagnosis were evaluated. Socio-demographic data and clinical variables were collected. Patients completed two questionnaires: the Participation in Leisure Activities throughout Life questionnaire, and the CRQ.RESULTS: Participants with a greater CR had higher scores in cognitive tests than the elderly with a lower CR. A CR index was developed. CRQ reliability was 0.795 (Cronbach's alpha). There was a close association between the CR Index and the CRQ.CONCLUSIONS: This study found an association between CR measures and education, occupation and participation in leisure activities. The CRQ seems to be a suitable instrument to measure CR in Portuguese populations.
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Associação de Psiquiatria do Rio Grande do Sul
2014
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| Online Access: | http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2237-60892014000300160 |
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