RELATIONAL ASPECTS INVOLVED IN THE NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO THEELDERLY PATIENT - A POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTION TO AN EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF COGNITIVE DISORDERS

The objective of this retrospective case-series study was to examine t he pathological speech and behavioral aspects during evaluations of co gnitive deterioration, using the set of tests validated in Italy. The study was performed in the Geriatric Service of the Lugo District Area at Local Sanitary Unit (USL) in Ravenna. There were 165 patients sele cted: 63 of them resulted normal and 102 deteriorated considering the reference cut-off of the tests. Pathological phenomena were: attention falls, task losses, repetition of materials previously reported, conf abulation contextual to the task developed, parasitical associations. To each category of phenomena the following scores were given per pati ent: 0 for the absence of the symptom, 5 for occasional presence, 10 f or substantial presence (> 2/analysis). The disadvantage mean value wa s then calculated for each phenomenon in both groups. Attention fall a nd/or task loss, if followed by a suitable behavior, is not pathologic al in itself. Task loss is a marked sign of pathology when followed by confabulation., Repetition is the other aspect which shows the patien t's cognitive difficulty.