Abstract

FELDBERG, Carolina et al. The influence of education and occupational complexity in the cognitive performance of older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Cienc. Psicol. [online]. 2020, vol.14, n.1, e2194.  Epub May 12, 2020. ISSN 1688-4094.  https://doi.org/22235/cp.v14i1.2194.

The objective of this paper is to assess the relative importance of education and occupational complexity to determine the cognitive performance on patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). 80 patients with MCI were assessed using the following instruments: questionnaire of sociodemogrhapical data, questionnaire on attainment of occupation, and an extended neuropsychological battery. Abilities tested were: logical memory (Signoret Memory Battery, TAVEC), attention (Digit span, TMTA), language (Vocabulary WAIS III, Boston Naming Test, Verbal Fluency), executive functions (TMTB, Analogies WAIS III, Matrix reasoning WAIS III) and visuoconstruction (Block design WAIS III). Results show that occupational complexity is more relevant than education for cognition of vocabulary, to achieve cognitive flexibility and to obtain visuoconstructive abilities. Education is more important for abstract reasoning and sustained attention. Occupational complexity and education have a unique and important role in the maintenance of cognitive abilities, working as buffers for cognitive impairment during aging.

Keywords : older adults; occupational complexity; mild cognitive impairment; education; cognitive performance.

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