[Pilot study of the validity, reliability and normative data for PRO-NEURO scale in adult-elderly people without cognitive impairments].

INTRODUCTION

We present preliminary data on validity, reliability and normative values of a short neuropsychological protocol in Spanish called PRO-NEURO including different cognitive functions: orientation, attention and memory, mental calculation, verbal comprehension, writing, naming, reasoning, verbal fluency, praxias, and gnosias. The purpose is to more suitably balance the time of application and the extension of the cognitive areas to be evaluated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Different Spanish versions of classical measurements (used as control) and PRO-NEURO were applied of a sample of 273 (137 men and 136 women) volunteers, cognitive healthy (<>) adult and elderly people over 55. Normative data were obtained for three age groups (55-65, 66-75 and >75 years) and two educational levels: low (to 6 years of school) and medium/high (more than 7 years of school).

RESULTS

The validity of PRO-NEURO according to Morillama's method is 93% interrater agreement, test-retest reliability is r=0.74 and internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha) is 0.79. The age-group of younger- elderly subjects (55-65) and those with higher educational level score significantly better and they spend less time in PRO-NEURO performance. Conversely, no-significant differences by sex are observed. Descriptive data of PRO-NEURO for this normative sample are shown.

CONCLUSIONS

The PRO-NEURO scale can be useful as screening protocol and help for short and reliable assessment of some important cognitive functions in clinical practice.