THE UTILITY OF THE LURIA BATTERY FOR NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF ADULTS

Currently there are various tools based on Luria’s neuropsychological assessment approach, but the empirical data on Spanish populations are limited. The main objective of this study is to review the scientific evidence on the psychometric properties of the Luria Spanish Battery for the Neuropsychological Diagnosis of Adults (Luria DNA). This aggregative study systematically reviews 14 scientific investigations (articles and doctoral dissertations) that use the Luria DNA. According to this review, the Luria DNA battery allows the detection of neuropsychological changes in people with different types of pathologies and intellectual disability. However, the normative evidence and clinical data are still scarce. Further investigations are needed in order to clarify the sensitivity and specificity of this battery in discriminating between older individuals with cognitive impairment and those that are cognitively healthy

Characterizing functional alterations in instrumental activities of daily living using latent class analysis: a population-based study (NEDICES).

[EN]Background and Objectives: The existence of different patterns of functional impairment in older adults has scarcely been addressed. This research investigates major patterns of functional impairment based on Pfeffer's Functional Activity Questionnaire (FAQ). Research Design and Methods: The participants come from NEDICES (Neurological Disorders in Central Spain), a prospective population-based cohort study. A total of 3837 individuals without dementia who completed the Spanish version of the FAQ was selected. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was carried out to examine potential cluster subgroups based on FAQ responses. Results: The FAQ showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.86) and moderate correlation (r = −.40) with cognitive performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-37). The response patterns revealed the presence of three latent classes: absence of functional alteration (Class 1), established functional alteration (Class 2), and minimal functional alteration (Class 3). Moreover, the probability of resolving Items 2 (‘shopping alone for…’), 3 (‘heating water…’), 4 (‘preparing a balanced meal’), and 9 (‘travelling out of neighbourhood…’) was close to 0% for Class 2 membership, while those with the lowest probability of resolution for Class 3 were Items 2 and 9. Items 3 and 4 were the best to discriminate between different grades of functional alterations (Class 2 vs. Class 3). Discussion and Implications: Our findings indicate that the combination of overall FAQ score and item response pattern may help to classify individuals with different subtypes of functional impairment. The Spanish version of the FAQ is a useful tool for detection of functional impairment in older adults