title: Effect of literacy and education on the visuoconstructional ability of non-demented elderly individuals.
abstract: Learning to read and to write influences not only verbal skills but also global cognitive performance. Our study aimed to compare the visuoconstructional abilities of elderly illiterates with those of elderly literates. A total of 125 healthy subjects over 65 years old were recruited. Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) and the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) constructional praxis examination were used. We divided subjects into three groups (educated literate n = 53, uneducated literate n = 36 and uneducated illiterate n = 36). Interlocking pentagons drawing, a part of the K-MMSE, was scored using the 6-point hierarchical scale. The uneducated-illiterate group obtained significantly lower scores than did the other two groups. Scores on the ADAS-cog constructional praxis test were highest in the educated-literate group and those in the uneducated-illiterate group obtained the lowest scores. We demonstrated that illiteracy influences not only language performance but also visuoconstructional functioning.
authors: Department of Neurology, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Yun Jeong
authors: YJ
authors: Hong
authors: Bora
authors: B
authors: Yoon
authors: Yong S
authors: YS
authors: Shim
authors: A-Hyun
authors: AH
authors: Cho
authors: Eek-Sung
authors: ES
authors: Lee
authors: Yeong-In
authors: YI
authors: Kim
authors: Dong Won
authors: DW
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D018672:Community Health Planning; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*