Age- and education-adjusted normative data for the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT).

The original Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT) suggests a cutoff global score of 10 points. However, this limit may be too stringent for older adults attending memory training programs, particularly for those with low education levels. This study aims to provide appropriately adjusted age and education norms for the RBMT. Data from 711 subjects were grouped based on age (65-67, 68-71, 72-75 and 76-83) and education level (primary school, high school and university studies). The data exhibit a clear trend of scores decreasing with age. The diminution in scores does not reach trend levels of significance between neighboring (< 5 years) age intervals, but it is statistically significant at the designated alpha level (p = .05) when younger and older adults are compared over a range of 5 years of difference. 81.86% of our sample has global scores below the suggested cutoff of 10 points. The present study provides a more accurate representation of RBMT global score performance in older adults for specific age and education stratifications.

[Brain localization of semantic processing]. / Localizacion cerebral del procesamiento semantico.

INTRODUCTION: Semantic content processing is associated with the potential N400, and the P600 is linked with the processing of syntactic and grammatical rules. AIM: To verify whether the semantic processing of complex visual stimuli such as repetition, identity, order and double incongruence is recursive or computable. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 27 university students responded to an adapted N400 paradigm with five conditions, each with 80 tasks, while recording their brain activity with a 64-channel cap. RESULTS: Two temporal windows of 400 to 550 ms and 550 to 800 ms were analyzed using an ANOVA contrast of the condition factor by regions of interest. In addition, the inverse solution of the windows was calculated by low resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) to identify the main sources related to the electrical power. The significant differences (p <0.05) in the results for the N400 and P600 in frontal and centroparietal areas in the logical operators studied are corroborated. CONCLUSION: It is confirmed that the brain processing of complex images is modulated by repetition, identity and order, but not by negation. Therefore, it can be said that the semantic processing of complex images is semi-computable.

TITLE: Localizacion cerebral del procesamiento semantico.Introduccion. El procesamiento del contenido semantico se asocia al potencial N400, y el P600 se vincula con el procesamiento de reglas sintacticas y gramaticales. Objetivo. Verificar si el procesamiento semantico de estimulos visuales complejos, como la repeticion, la identidad, el orden y la doble incongruencia, es recursivo o computable. Sujetos y metodos. Veintisiete universitarios respondieron a un paradigma adaptado N400 con cinco condiciones, cada una con 80 tareas, mientras se registraba su actividad cerebral con un gorro de 64 electrodos. Resultados. Dos ventanas temporales de 400 a 550 ms y de 550 a 800 ms se analizaron mediante un contraste ANOVA del factor condicion por regiones de interes. Ademas, se calculo la solucion inversa de las ventanas mediante tomografia electromagnetica de baja resolucion para identificar las fuentes corticales subyacentes a los potenciales electricos. Se corroboran diferencias significativas (p < 0,05) en los potenciales N400 y P600 en areas frontales y centroparietales asociadas a los operadores logicos estudiados. Conclusion. Se confirma que el procesamiento cerebral de imagenes complejas (congruentes/incongruentes) es modulado por la repeticion, la identidad y el orden, pero no por la negacion. Por consiguiente, se puede decir que el procesamiento semantico de imagenes complejas es semicomputable.

Evidence Linking Brain Activity Modulation to Age and to Deductive Training.

Electrical brain activity modulation in terms of changes in its intensity and spatial distribution is a function of age and task demand. However, the dynamics of brain modulation is unknown when it depends on external factors such as training. The aim of this research is to verify the effect of deductive reasoning training on the modulation in the brain activity of healthy younger and older adults (N = 47 (mean age of 21 ± 3.39) and N = 38 (mean age of 68.92 ± 5.72)). The analysis reveals the benefits of training, showing that it lowers cerebral activation while increasing the number of correct responses in the trained reasoning task (p < 0.001). The brain source generators were identified by time-averaging low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) current density images. In both groups, a bilateral overactivation associated with the task and not with age was identified. However, while the profile of bilateral activation in younger adults was symmetrical in anterior areas, in the older ones, the profile was located asymmetrically in anterior and posterior areas. Consequently, bilaterality may be a marker of how the brain adapts to maintain cognitive function in demanding tasks in both age groups. However, the differential bilateral locations across age groups indicate that the tendency to brain modulation is determined by age.