title: Semantic verbal fluency in elderly Mexican adults: Reference values.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The semantic verbal fluency test (SVF) is sensitive to detecting cognitive decline. It is fast and easy to use in any cultural context; therefore, it is included in most of the neuropsychological assessment protocols.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate normative values for the SVF test (animals), in an elderly population aged 65 years and over.
  
  
  METHODS
  1233 subjects who were healthy, cognitively preserved, residents of two areas (rural and urban) of Mexico were assessed. A neurological and neuropsychological exploration battery was applied, including SVF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age average was 73+6 and schooling was 4.0+3.9 years, with 59% women. The average of the words generated in the SVF test was 14+5, and a correlation of 0.16 of these scores with age, education, and gender was found (p<.001), this allowed the estimation of the percentiles in accordance with these variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most important contribution provided by this study was that the data analysis enabled normative values to be obtained for an elderly Mexican population aged 65 years and over. It was also confirmed, as other neuropsychological assessment studies have done, that the SVF test is influenced by socio-demographic variables, such as age and education, aspects to be considered at the time of obtaining normative values. Finally, it was noted that the average scores obtained were lower than other published reference values, due to the low educational level of our sample.
authors: Departamento de Neuropsicología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía MVS, Ciudad de México, México.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Chávez-Oliveros
authors: Departamento de Neuropsicología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía MVS, Ciudad de México, México. Electronic address: yaneth_r@hotmail.com.
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Rodríguez-Agudelo
authors: Laboratorio de Demencias, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía MVS, Ciudad de México, México.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Acosta-Castillo
authors: Laboratorio de Demencias, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía MVS, Ciudad de México, México.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: García-Ramírez
authors: Laboratorio de Demencias, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía MVS, Ciudad de México, México.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Rojas de la Torre
authors: Laboratorio de Demencias, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía MVS, Ciudad de México, México.
authors: A L
authors: AL
authors: Sosa-Ortiz
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D012660:Semantics; D014705:Verbal Behavior
keywords: Datos normativos; Evaluación neuropsicológica; Fluidez verbal; Neuropsychological assessment; Normative data; Verbal fluency