TITLE:
The Impact of Cognitive Reserve on the Neuropsychological Functioning of Hispanic Patients with Minor Neurocognitive Disorder
AUTHORS:
Jorge A. Herrera Pino, Nora Dieguez, Jose Armas
KEYWORDS:
Cognitive Reserve; Neuropsychological Evaluation; Mild Neurocognitive Disorder; Mild Cognitive Impairment
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.4 No.10A,
October
17,
2013
ABSTRACT: The purpose of
this study was to explore the impact of cognitive reserve, on the
neuropsychological status of a sample of otherwise healthy Hispanic patients,
who complained of memory difficulties, and thus were suspected to present minor
neurocognitive disorder. To this effect, 100 consecutive cases referred for
neuropsychological evaluation by their primary care physicians comprised the
initial sample. Two groups of 32 patients were formed on the basis of their
scores in the Cognitive Reserve Questionnaire (CRQ) that was administered to
all participants. The results obtained by both groups in an eclectic battery of
neuropsychological instruments were compared. The results indicated that the
CRQ High Score group had significantly better performance than the CRQ Low
Score group in the tests administered, except those tapped into memory
processes. This was interpreted, to be related to the fact that all of these patients
fell into the category of mild cognitive impairment of the amnestic type, as
neither group performed well in these specific instruments. The findings of
this study were interpreted to lend support to the notion that better cognitive
reserve was associated with better cognitive status in the later years of life.