Resumo

LOPES, Regina Maria Fernandes et al. Executive funcions of elderle with depression: a comparative study. Cuad. neuropsicol. [online]. 2013, vol.7, n.2, pp. 72-86. ISSN 0718-4123.  http://dx.doi.org/10.7714/cnps/7.2.204.

Aging causes functional and structural changes in the body, which decreases the vitality and encourages the development of diseases related to this period of life through a natural process. Depression is associated with cognitive and functional deficits. The aim of this study was to assess the cognitive flexibility of elderly with depression. The study included 161 elderly, aged over 60 years, of both sexes, being 38 elderly diagnosed with depression and 123 elderly from the general population. The design was quantitative and cross-sectional. The following instruments were used: Clinical Datasheet, Test Wisconsin Card Sorting (WCST), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Depression Scale geriatric (GDS) and Vocabulary subtests, Codes, Digits and Block of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults III (WAIS-III). The analysis showed that the elderly patients with severe depression had greater total number of errors when performed the task. They had also a higher percentage of conceptual level responses and made more mistakes. Furthermore, they showed evidence of casual and unintentional hits. We can conclude that the more severe the depression, the greater the cognitive impairments in performance on the WCST.

Palavras-chave : aging; depression; elderly people; executive function; Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.

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