title: Initial phase performance in a 30-s verbal fluency task as being reflective of aging effect.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study was to investigate if performance in a 30-s verbal semantic fluency task (i.e. animal naming) across five elderly aged groups (60-64; 65-69; 70-74; 75-79; 80-84 years) would be reflective of aging effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed differences in performance across 5-s phases and the moment of first word production in these five age groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following results were obtained: (i) with increasing age, the total number of words produced gradually declined (P < 0.001); (ii) there were significant differences in performance among the age groups in three phases (0-5, 6-10, 16-20 s) (P < 0.05); and (iii) the first word production within the first 5-s phase was significantly delayed in the 75-79 years and 80-84 years age groups compared with the rest of the age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Performance in the initial 5-s phase might be sensitive to cognitive degeneration in normal older adults.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Speech and Language Pathology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seon Ha
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: HyangHee
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: JungWan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji Hye
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Soo Ryon
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012660:Semantics; D013997:Time Factors; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D014825:Vocabulary
keywords: aging; cognitive function; frontal lobe; initial phase; verbal fluency