Mild Cognitive Impairment and Intellectual Activity in the Elderly

Abstract

Objective:

The aim of this study is to identify the correlation between mild cognitive impairment (MCI), educational status and intellectual activity in elderly patients.

Material and methods:

The study comprises 40 elderly patients diagnosed with MCI. the diagnosis of MCI was established applying to all patients MMSE (Mini Mental State Evaluation). Also a Clock Drawing Test (CDT) was applied. A MMSE score between 28-21points was considered as MCI.

We consider that a patient has intellectual activities if he performs at least one of the following: reading a book or a newspaper, solving puzzles or mind games.

The exclusion criteria were: patients with moderate and severe cognitive impairment and patients with no educational level.

Results and discussions:

The average of age was 69.65 years. the average of MMSE score was 24.65 points. the correlation between MMSE and CDT is significant at the 0.01 level. the MMSE and CDT scores are smaller as the educational level is lower. 3 subjects have fourth grade education, 17 subjects have eighth grade education, 16 subjects have high-school education and 4subjects have college education. the patients with small scores at cognitive evaluation have no intellectual activity in the present. the intellectual activity is in direct relationship with high educational level; patients with high-school and college education are performing intellectual activities in the present.

Conclusions:

Patients with actual intellectual activity have the highest MMSE and CDT scores.

Intellectual activities are protective factors against cognitive impairment.

This paper represents the screening part of a grant PNCDI2 41-057/2007 from the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research.