The Modified Five-Point Test (MFPT): normative data for a sample of Italian elderly

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Gerontology

Background:

• Non-verbal figural fluency, a measure of executive function, involves generating unique designs with minimal repetition.
• The Modified Five-Point Test (MFPT) is a widely used Italian neuropsychological tool.
• Existing normative data for the MFPT in Italy is limited to younger age groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normative data for the Modified Five-Point Test (MFPT) in a Southern Italian population aged 65 and older.
• To investigate the influence of age, sex, and education on MFPT performance in this demographic.
• To define equivalent and cut-off scores for unique designs and cognitive strategies.

Main Methods:

• A population-based sample of 340 healthy Italian adults over 65 years old was recruited.
• Participants were stratified by age, sex, and education level.
• Multiple regression analyses were used to assess demographic effects on performance, with equivalent and cut-off scores calculated.

Main Results:

• The number of unique designs (UDs) positively correlated with higher education and negatively with age.
• Cognitive strategies (CSs) were influenced by education but not by age or sex.
• A higher number of UDs was associated with fewer errors and greater use of cognitive strategies.

Conclusions:

• The Modified Five-Point Test (MFPT) effectively measures cognitive abilities related to design initiation and execution.
• MFPT performance provides valuable insights for clinical neuropsychology, particularly in assessing cognitive aging.
• The test is a practical tool for differentiating between healthy and pathological aging processes.