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Abstract(s)
Enquadramento Teórico: Os idosos mais velhos ou “muito idosos” representam um grupo etário em crescimento acelerado em diversos países do mundo. Esta perspectiva terá impacto significativo na saúde, na economia e na sociedade como um todo. Embora os estudos no âmbito do desempenho cognitivo destes sujeitos não estejam a acompanhar o ritmo acelerado de envelhecimento desta população, sabemos que declínio cognitivo é um fenómeno que acompanha o envelhecimento mesmo na ausência de doença neurológica. O modelo de Reserva Cognitiva propõe que diferenças individuais ao nível do processamento cognitivo e da capacidade de restruturação neuronal levam a que algumas pessoas consigam lidar melhor com o processo de envelhecimento do que outras. O Cognitive Reserve Índex questionnaire (CRIq) propõe avaliar a Reserva Cognitiva de forma objectiva utilizando três dos domínios usados na conceptualização da reserva: o nível de escolaridade, a ocupação profissional e as atividades de tempo livre. Por sua vez, a funcionalidade é o resultado do desempenho de um indivíduo em diversas atividades que compõem ocupações de significado e/ou necessidade para cada indivíduo. No presente estudo, pretendemos estudar a contribuição do CRIq para a avaliação da RC e explorar a relação entre a RC, os mecanismos cognitivos do envelhecimento e a funcionalidade numa população de sujeito com mais de 85 anos. Metodologia: A amostra de conveniência deste estudo transversal foi composta por 28 sujeitos, com idades compreendidas entre os 85 e os 101 anos e sem antecedentes pessoais relevantes. Após uma entrevista clínica breve, aplicou-se o CRIq, o Vocabulário, Digit-Symbol, o Digit Span, o Stroop e a FAB. Para testar as hipóteses colocadas, realizaram-se testes ao coeficiente de correlação de Pearson, de Spearman e Regressões Lineares múltiplas. Resultados: De todas as medidas de desempenho cognitivo, apenas a pontuação do Stroop se correlacionou (negativamente) com a Reserva Cognitiva. O Vocabulário e a FAB são as variáveis mais fortemente correlacionadas com o CRIq. Como seria de esperar para o Vocabulário por ser uma prova complementar e substituta da medida educação recomendada com aplicação do CRIq. Apesar de encontrarmos correlações entre aspectos cognitivos e reserva cognitiva, não encontramos correlação entre a RC e funcionalidade, de forma que podemos concluir a RC não influencia a taxa de declínio nas AVDs. Conclusão: O CRIq parece-nos ser um instrumento útil e válido para avaliar a RC. Os resultados obtidos no presente trabalho, reforçam a importância de diversos factores como sendo comportamentos promotores da saúde e do funcionamento cognitivo. Pelo que todos os campos da vida de um indivíduo poderão contribuir para uma maior resiliência aos efeitos negativos do envelhecimento, não deixando de reforçar a necessária importância de considerar a inclusão dos sujeitos “muito idosos” em estudos futuros.
Theoretical Background: The older elderly or “Oldest Old” represent a rapidly growing age group in several countries around the world. This perspective will have a significant impact on health, economy and society as a whole. Although studies on the cognitive performance of this group are not following the accelerated pace of their aging, we know that cognitive decline is a phenomenon that accompanies aging even in the absence of a neurological disease. The Cognitive Reserve (CR) model holds that individual differences in cognitive processing level and neural compensation capacity mean that some people can deal better with aging than others. The Cognitive Reserve Index questionnaire (CRIq) proposes to measure the Cognitive Reserve (CR) in an objective way using three of the domains used in the reserve’s conceptualization: education level, professional occupation and leisure activities. Functionality is the result of an individual's performance in several activities that compose the occupation of meaning and/or need for each individual. This study aimed to explore the CRIq contribution towards CR and the relationship between CR, cognitive mechanisms of aging and functionality in a sample of 85+ years old individuals. Methodology: The convenience sample of this transverse study was composed by 28 older adults, 85-101 year old individuals and with no relevant personal background. After a brief clinical interview, the CRIq was applied, along with the Vocabulary, the Digit-Symbol, the Digit Span, the Stroop and the FAB test. Aiming to test the hypothesis assumed, Pearson correlation coefficient test, Spearman and linear regressions test were also used. Results: From all the cognitive performance measures, only Stroop score correlated (negatively) with Cognitive Reserve. Vocabulary and FAB are the strongest correlated measures with CRIq. As expected for the Vocabulary since it is a supplementary and substitute test of the education measure recommended with CRIq application. Although we found correlations between cognitive aspects and Cognitive Reserve, we did not find correlations between CR and functionality, so we can conclude that CR does not influence the AVDs decline. Conclusion: The CRIq seems to be a useful and valid tool to assess CR. The results obtained from this study reinforce the importance of several factors as promoters of health and cognitive functioning, from which all different aspects of an individual’s life can contribute to a better resilience to the negative effects of aging, and reinforces the necessary importance of including the “Oldest Old” subjects in future studies.
Theoretical Background: The older elderly or “Oldest Old” represent a rapidly growing age group in several countries around the world. This perspective will have a significant impact on health, economy and society as a whole. Although studies on the cognitive performance of this group are not following the accelerated pace of their aging, we know that cognitive decline is a phenomenon that accompanies aging even in the absence of a neurological disease. The Cognitive Reserve (CR) model holds that individual differences in cognitive processing level and neural compensation capacity mean that some people can deal better with aging than others. The Cognitive Reserve Index questionnaire (CRIq) proposes to measure the Cognitive Reserve (CR) in an objective way using three of the domains used in the reserve’s conceptualization: education level, professional occupation and leisure activities. Functionality is the result of an individual's performance in several activities that compose the occupation of meaning and/or need for each individual. This study aimed to explore the CRIq contribution towards CR and the relationship between CR, cognitive mechanisms of aging and functionality in a sample of 85+ years old individuals. Methodology: The convenience sample of this transverse study was composed by 28 older adults, 85-101 year old individuals and with no relevant personal background. After a brief clinical interview, the CRIq was applied, along with the Vocabulary, the Digit-Symbol, the Digit Span, the Stroop and the FAB test. Aiming to test the hypothesis assumed, Pearson correlation coefficient test, Spearman and linear regressions test were also used. Results: From all the cognitive performance measures, only Stroop score correlated (negatively) with Cognitive Reserve. Vocabulary and FAB are the strongest correlated measures with CRIq. As expected for the Vocabulary since it is a supplementary and substitute test of the education measure recommended with CRIq application. Although we found correlations between cognitive aspects and Cognitive Reserve, we did not find correlations between CR and functionality, so we can conclude that CR does not influence the AVDs decline. Conclusion: The CRIq seems to be a useful and valid tool to assess CR. The results obtained from this study reinforce the importance of several factors as promoters of health and cognitive functioning, from which all different aspects of an individual’s life can contribute to a better resilience to the negative effects of aging, and reinforces the necessary importance of including the “Oldest Old” subjects in future studies.
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Keywords
Reserva cognitiva Muito idosos Envelhecimento cognitivo CRIq Funcionalidade Cognitive reserve Oldest old Cognitive aging Functionality