The Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test: applicability for the Brazilian elderly population.
OBJECTIVE
The Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test is a widely recognized test in neuropsychological literature to evaluate learning and memory. This paper presents the performance of six age groups of Brazilian elderly on the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test.


METHODS
A version of the test was developed with a list of high-frequency one-syllable and two-syllable concrete Portuguese substantives. Two hundred and twenty-three subjects of both genders were allocated to 6 age groups (60-64, 65-69; 70-74; 75-79; 80-84 and 85-89 years old) and tested with the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test.


RESULTS
Educational level and age had a positive and a negative correlation, respectively, with performance on the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test. Women performed significantly better than men. Our results were similar to those found for the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test English version, across similar age ranges.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the Brazilian Portuguese Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test adaptation was adequate and applicable for evaluating the memory capacity of Brazilian subjects, across similar age and educational levels.
Malloy-Diniz
Leandro Fernandes
LF
Universidade FUMEC, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. leandro.fernandes@terra.com.br
Lasmar
Viviani Antunes Parreira
VA
Gazinelli
Lenice de Sena Rabelo
Lde S
Fuentes
Daniel
D
Salgado
João Vinícius
JV
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001938:Brazil; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*