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Updated: Jul 30, 2026
Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Influence of age and schooling on the performance in a modified Mini-Mental State Examination version: a study in
Paulo Roberto de Brito-Marques1, José Eulálio Cabral-Filho
1Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. pbrito@truenet.com.br
Unlabelled:
Performance in cognitive tests can be influenced by age and education level. In developing countries, formal education is limited for most people. Application of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) test, in its original version could have an adverse effect on the evaluation of low educated and elderly individuals.
Objective:
To assess the cognitive performance of low and middle educated old people in a modified version of the adapted to portuguese language MMSE.
Method:
A study was carried out enrolling 253 individuals, aged 60 to 90 years included in different schooling levels. Four educational groups were studied: illiterate; 1-4 schooling years; 5-8 schooling years and over 8 schooling years. Besides, the sample was also studied according to six classes: 60-65, 66-70, 71-75, 76-80, 81-85 and 86-90 years. The modified version (mo-MMSE) included modifications in copy and calculation items from the adapted MMSE (ad-MMSE) to Portuguese language. The maximum possible score was the same in the two versions: total, 30; copy, 1 and calculation, 5.
Results:
mo-MMSE scores were significantly higher than ad-MMSE for every age classes. A negative correlation was observed between age and scores in individuals of 1-4 and in individuals over eight schooling years, both in ad-MMSE and mo-MMSE. However, there was not a significant correlation between age and scores in illiterate group and in individuals of 5-8 schooling years.
Conclusion:
The modification of copy and calculation items of ad-MMSE, are responsible by the best performance in mo-MMSE. Cultural background could have influenced this result. Individuals with more than eight years of formal instruction are protected against a reduction of their capacity to solve cognitive tests. However, low instructed individuals have not this capacity and so they present signals of intellectual aging before they become elderly people.
