ABSTRACT
Some cognitive dimensions, such as attention, memory and executive functions, may decline with age, while other functions remain intact or even improve due to greater life experience.
Objective:
to analyze the relationship between cognitive processing, language and verbal fluency among elderly individuals seen by primary healthcare services located in a city in the interior of São Paulo, Brazil.
Methods:
a cross-sectional study with a quantitative method was conducted. A total of 149 elderly individuals were assessed through previously scheduled interviews. Data collection included a questionnaire on sociodemographic data and the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination - Revised (ACE-R). Cognitive processing (P300) was assessed using a device that captures potentials elicited in auditory tasks. Descriptive analysis and Spearman's correlation were performed with the level of significance established at 5%.
Results:
a negative correlation was found between language and P300 latency, while a positive correlation was found between verbal fluency and P300 amplitude. Comprehension and naming tasks showed a negative correlation with latency. The repetition task revealed a positive correlation with P300 amplitude.
Conclusion:
although more extensive testing is needed, these findings suggest that language correlates with P300 latency, whereas verbal fluency correlates with P300 amplitude.
Key words:
elder; aging; event-related potential; P300; language