["Household items" : an alternative task to "animals" in the assessment of semantic verbal fluency: a validation study].
BACKGROUND
The semantic verbal fluency (SVF) is usually evaluated with the task animals in 1 minute . This is a test widely applied in the screening of cognitive impairment. In our best knowledge there are not other alternatives categories for this task validated in our environment (Spanish as mother tongue, Spain).


OBJECTIVE
To validate the category households items as an alternative parallel task to animals in the assessment of SVF.


METHODS
Prospective assessment of two categories (animals and household items) in two groups: normal controls and patients with Alzheimer s disease (AD).


RESULTS



METHODS
n= 22 (13 M, 9 W); age: 73 5 years, education: 12 5 years; MMSE MEC 35: 30 4; Animals : 15 4. Percentile distribution 10th: 11; 50th: 15; 90th: 20; household items : 17 4. Percentile distribution: 10th: 12; 50th: 17; 90th: 22. AD group: n= 24 (9 M, 15 W); age: 74 5 years; education: 11 5 years; MMSE MEC 35: 17 8; Animals : 6 3. Percentile distribution: 10th: 2; 50th: 6; 90th: 9; household items : 6 4. Percentile distribution: 10th: 1; 50th: 6; 90th: 11. It is observed a positive correlation between the two categories (Spearman s Rho: 0.83, p< 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Both SVF categories had a similar distribution and a high correlation. This findings demonstrated the validity of the household items as an alternative and parallel form to animals in the assessment of SVF in patients with cognitive impairment or dementia.
Fernández
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T
Hospital Clinico Universitario, Zaragoza, España. tfertur@posta.unizar.es
Ríos
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C
Santos
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S
Casadevall
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T
Tejero
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C
López-García
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Fabre
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Garcés
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Mauri
J A
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Iñíguez
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Pascual
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LF
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012660:Semantics; D014705:Verbal Behavior