Aplicação de um programa de estimulação cognitiva: efeito no desempenho cognitivo e ocupacional numa população psicogeriátrica institucionalizada
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2016
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O crescente envelhecimento populacional tem contribuído para o interesse da realização de estudos nesta área. A evidência sugere que a estimulação cognitiva (EC) tem um efeito positivo na cognição, na sintomatologia depressiva e no desempenho ocupacional dos idosos. Neste contexto, a Neuropsicologia Clínica tem um papel fundamental, quer na avaliação das funções cognitivas em défice e preservadas quer na implementação de programas de intervenção. O principal objetivo deste estudo é verificar a eficácia de um Programa de Estimulação Cognitiva (PEC), desenvolvido por Spector e colaboradores (2006), no desempenho cognitivo e ocupacional e na sintomatologia depressiva, numa população psicogeriátrica institucionalizada. A amostra é constituída por 24 participantes, 12 constituem o grupo de controlo e 12 o grupo experimental. O grupo experimental foi sujeito a intervenção com 14 sessões de EC. A avaliação da eficácia do PEC foi feita através da aplicação das versões portuguesas do Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Asssessment (MoCA), subtestes da Wesheler Memory Scale (WMS-III), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), Geriatric Depression Scale – 15 (GDS-15) e Indíce de Barthel, em dois momentos de avaliação, antes e após a intervenção.
Os resultados deste estudo evidenciaram melhorias significativas, do grupo submetido a EC, no desempenho cognitivo geral, especificamente ao nível da linguagem, atenção, capacidade de abstração, memória logica e aprendizagem associativa. Não se verificaram efeitos do PEC ao nível do desempenho ocupacional e sintomatologia depressiva.
Neste sentido, este estudo sugere a implementação de PEC, de forma a melhorar o desempenho cognitivo e prevenir a deterioração da população psicogeriátrica institucionalizada. Pelos resultados obtidos, justifica-se a realização de estudos futuros, com amostras de maior dimensão de forma a obter conclusões mais consistentes.
Aging research has increased substantially in the recent years as a result of the shift in life expectancy in developed countries. There is suggestive evidence that cognitive stimulation has a key role in the older segment of the population and that it can contribute to maintaining adequate levels of cognition, reducing symptoms associated with depression, and improving the ability of individuals to perform activities of daily living. Therefore, clinic neuropsychology has a key role in both the assessment of cognitive functions and implementation of interventions aimed at improving or maintaining cognitive functions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Programa de Estimulação Cognitiva (PEC), a standardized intervention developed by Spector and colleagues (2006) aimed at improving cognitive performance, related occupational skills, and in reducing depression symptoms. The intervention was delivered to a sample of 24 older adults inserted in a psychogeriatric unit and that were randomly assigned to a control or an intervention group. The intervention consisted of 14 sessions of cognitive stimulation and assessments conducted throughout the program included modified versions of Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Montreal Cognitive Asssessment (MoCA), some subscales of the Wesheler Memory Scale (WMS-III), the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), the Geriatric Depression Scale – 15 (GDS-15), and the Barthel Index. All the assessments were conducted at pre- and post- intervention. The results demonstrated clear improvements in cognitive function among individuals assigned to the intervention group. More specifically, general cognition was improved in intervened individuals positively affecting language, attention, abstract abilities, logic memory, and associative learning. There was no evidence that the intervention impacted occupational abilities and led to reductions of depression symptoms. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that the PEC should be implemented in patients with similar characteristics in order to improve cognitive performance and minimize the loss of abilities. Future studies should cross-validate our findings using a larger sample of similarly institutionalized patients.
Aging research has increased substantially in the recent years as a result of the shift in life expectancy in developed countries. There is suggestive evidence that cognitive stimulation has a key role in the older segment of the population and that it can contribute to maintaining adequate levels of cognition, reducing symptoms associated with depression, and improving the ability of individuals to perform activities of daily living. Therefore, clinic neuropsychology has a key role in both the assessment of cognitive functions and implementation of interventions aimed at improving or maintaining cognitive functions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Programa de Estimulação Cognitiva (PEC), a standardized intervention developed by Spector and colleagues (2006) aimed at improving cognitive performance, related occupational skills, and in reducing depression symptoms. The intervention was delivered to a sample of 24 older adults inserted in a psychogeriatric unit and that were randomly assigned to a control or an intervention group. The intervention consisted of 14 sessions of cognitive stimulation and assessments conducted throughout the program included modified versions of Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Montreal Cognitive Asssessment (MoCA), some subscales of the Wesheler Memory Scale (WMS-III), the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), the Geriatric Depression Scale – 15 (GDS-15), and the Barthel Index. All the assessments were conducted at pre- and post- intervention. The results demonstrated clear improvements in cognitive function among individuals assigned to the intervention group. More specifically, general cognition was improved in intervened individuals positively affecting language, attention, abstract abilities, logic memory, and associative learning. There was no evidence that the intervention impacted occupational abilities and led to reductions of depression symptoms. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that the PEC should be implemented in patients with similar characteristics in order to improve cognitive performance and minimize the loss of abilities. Future studies should cross-validate our findings using a larger sample of similarly institutionalized patients.
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Orientação: Jorge Oliveira
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MESTRADO EM NEUROPSICOLOGIA APLICADA, PSICOLOGIA, NEUROPSICOLOGIA, ENVELHECIMENTO, DOENÇAS MENTAIS, COGNIÇÃO, DEPRESSÃO, IDOSOS INSTITUCIONALIZADOS, PSYCHOLOGY, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, AGEING, MENTAL ILLNESSES, COGNITION, INSTITUTIONALISED ELDERLY PEOPLE, ESTIMULAÇÃO COGNITIVA, COGNITIVE STIMULATION, DEPRESSION