title: Creation and design of a test for the Evaluation of Upper Limb Apraxia (EULA) based on a cognitive model: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Apraxia is regarded as neurological disorder characterized by a loss of ability to execute and carry out skilled movements and gestures despite intact motor and sensory systems, coordination, and comprehension. As reflected in the specialized literature, there are currently few tests that provide a global evaluation of this syndrome. This research created and designed a test for the Evaluation of Upper Limb Apraxia (EULA), based on theoretical models of apraxia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 57 patients was selected with subjective cognitive manifestations (complaints of cognitive impairment) and 39 subjects without cognitive impairment. Both groups were given the EULA test as well as other tests. The structure of the EULA was verified with principal components factor analysis, and the reliability and validity of this instrument were also calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The factor analysis classified all of the items in the test in nine factors with an explained total variance of 69.91%. The high reliability of the test was reflected in a Cronbach's alpha of 0.929 and a Guttman split-half coefficient of 0.870. The construct validity was also satisfactory as shown in the significant correlation of six of the nine factors in the test with two other well-known apraxia subtests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The healthy subjects had a higher test score than the subjects with complaints of cognitive impairment, which confirmed the reliability and construct validity of the EULA.
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Granada. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Granada, Espana.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Perez-Marmol
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lopez-Alcalde
authors.forename: Cristóbal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carnero-Pardo
authors.forename: Guillermo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Canadas-De la Fuente
authors.forename: M Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Peralta-Ramirez
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Garcia-Rios
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001072:Apraxias / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D001132:Arm / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000503:physiopathology; D005868:Gestures; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D053001:Tool Use Behavior