Biomedical subjects

M Rosselli

Publications and source records attributed to M Rosselli.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2000

Verbal fluency and repetition skills in healthy older Spanish-English bilinguals.

The influence of bilingualism on cognitive test performance in older adults has received limited attention in the neuropsychology literature. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of bilingualism on verbal fluency and repetition tests in older Hispanic bilinguals. Eighty-two right-handed participants (28 men and 54 women) with a mean age of 61.76 years (SD = 9.30; range = 50-84) and a mean educational level of 14.8 years (SD = 3.6; range 2-23) were selected. Forty-five of the participants were English monolinguals, 18 were Spanish monolinguals, and 19 were Spanish-English bilinguals. Verbal fluency was tested by electing a verbal description of a picture and by asking participants to generate words within phonemic and semantic categories. Repetition was tested using a sentence-repetition test. The bilinguals' test scores were compared to English monolinguals' and Spanish monolinguals' test scores. Results demonstrated equal performance of bilingual and monolingual participants in all tests except that of semantic verbal fluency. Bilinguals who learned English before age 12 performed significantly better on the English repetition test and produced a higher number of words in the description of a picture than the bilinguals who learned English after age 12. Variables such as task demands, language interference, linguistic mode, and level of bilingualism are addressed in the Discussion section.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Neurobehavioral assessment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a Colombian sample.

We present a factor analytic study of the Conners Rating Scales for parents and teachers in this article. A comparison is established with the original factor analytic studies (Conners, 1979a, 1979b) and the results obtained by Farré-Riba and Narbona (1997), using a Spanish sample. Five hundred and forty children, ages 4 to 17, were randomly selected in Manizales, Colombia. The shortened Spanish version of the Conners Parents Rating Scale (CPRS; Conners, 1979a) and the Conners Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS; Conners, 1979b) were used. Parsimonious factor analyses for both scales were developed. Three stable factors were found in the CPRS: hyperactivity, somatic symptoms, and inattention. Twenty-two out of 48 items were significantly saturated by these 3 factors. In the CTRS, 4 different factors were found that accounted for 63.5% of the total variance: uncontrolled temperament, inattention, hyperactivity, and difficulties in social relationships. Twenty out of 28 items were significantly saturated by these 3 factors. Factor structure was closer to the Spanish Farré-Riba and Narbona report than to the original findings. We concluded that the CPRS and the CTRS Spanish versions, when used by Colombian children and adolescents, do not seem to evaluate exactly the same underlying behavioral dimensions. We propose selecting only 22 items of the CPRS and 20 items of the CTRS (brief versions) for further epidemiological and clinical use.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Neurobehavioral characteristics of adolescents with behavioral dysregulation disorder.

BACKGROUND: There is growing recognition that violence and other forms of conduct problems increase during adolescence. The exact relationship between biological, psychological, and social variables has not been defined yet. OBJECTIVES: To analyze whether Intelligence Quotients (IQS), neurological history, child behavioral problems, executive functions, and soft neurological signs (SNS) can differentiate between undisciplined and unreliable adolescents (Behavioral Dysregulation Disorder subjects, BDD) and normal controls. METHOD: Twenty-five 13 to 16-year-olds, adolescents with BDD and 25 matched controls were used in this study. WISC-R, executive function assessment, neurological history, child behavioral problems, and SNS scores were analyzed using a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). A Multiple Regression Stepwise with Criteria Probability of F Analysis was used for predicting criteria variable variance. RESULTS: WISC-R Verbal IQ (VIQ), Information, Similarities, and Vocabulary subtests presented statistically significant differences between BDD and controls (p < .001). No Performance IQ (PIQ) variables established significant differences between both groups. Executive function scores did not detect significant differences between groups either. Prenatal, neonatal, and neurological history scores were similar between both groups. Two child behavioral problem variables were significantly different, with higher scores in BDD group: use of weapons and drug-use (p < .05). A Multiple Regression Stepwise (Criteria Probability of F < .05) model, entering the predictive variables in each domain (intelligence, executive function, neurological antecedents, child behavioral problems, and SNS), and using the score on the criteria variable as dependent variable, found two predictive models: (1) WISC-R Information (Ad-R-SQ = 0.172 F-Ch. = 11.176, p < .01); and (2) WISC-R Information and drug-use (R-SQ: 0.26; F-Ch = 9.605 p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: A verbal factor and drug-use predicted fairly 30% of the variance of the criteria variable used for classifying adolescents with BDD. These results would mean that a language underlying factor and an environmental drug-use factor would be related to the BDD in adolescents.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Age-related cognitive decline during normal aging: the complex effect of education.

The purpose of this study was to further analyze the effects of education on cognitive decline during normal aging. An 806-subject sample was taken from five different Mexican regions. Participants ranged in age from 16 to 85 years. Subjects were grouped into four educational levels: illiterate, 1-4, 5-9, and 10 or more years of education, and four age ranges: 16-30, 31-50, 51-65, and 66-85 years. A brief neuropsychological test battery (NEUROPSI), standardized and normalized in Spanish, was administered. The NEUROPSI test battery includes assessment of orientation, attention, memory, language, visuoperceptual abilities, motor skills, and executive functions. In general, test scores were strongly associated with level of educational, and differences among age groups were smaller than differences among education groups. However, there was an interaction between age and education such as that among illiterate individuals scores of participants 31-50 years old were higher than scores of participants 16-30 years old for over 50% of the tests. Different patterns of interaction among educational groups were distinguished. It was concluded that: (a) The course of life-span changes in cognition are affected by education. Among individuals with a low level of education, best neuropsychological test performance is observed at an older age than among higher-educated subjects; and (b) there is not a single relationship between age-related cognitive decline and education, but different patterns may be found, depending upon the specific cognitive domain.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Neuropsychological profile of a large kindred with familial Alzheimer's disease caused by the E280A single presenilin-1 mutation.

It was hypothesized that subjective memory complaints represent the earliest sign of dementia in carriers of the presenilin-1 (PS1) mutation. A total of 122 subjects (44 males, 78 females) were included in this study. Forty of them were positive for the mutation in the PS1 gene (mutation positive, MP) whereas 82 showed negative results (mutation negative, MN). Subjects were active, functionally normal, even though some of them complained of memory difficulties. Two groups of neuropsychological instruments were administered: (a) The Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) neuropsychological test battery (Morris et al., 1989), and (b) some additional neuropsychological tests (Raven Test, Wechsler Memory Scale, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure, Boston Naming Test, Naming of Categories, Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination, Memory of Three Phrases, Knopman Test, Digit Symbol, and Visual "A" Cancellation Test). Performance in both groups was quite similar. In a secondary analysis, the MP group was subdivided into two subgroups: without and with memory complaints. When comparing both subgroups, a better performance in the first subgroup was found throughout the different subtests. Statistically significant differences were observed in the following test scores: Mini-Mental State Examination, Naming Test (Low Frequency), Memory of Words Test, Recall of Drawings, Wechsler Memory Scale (Logical Memory, Associative Learning, and Total Score), Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (Immediate Recall Condition), Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (Complex Ideational Material Subtest), Memory of Three Phrases Test, Serial Verbal Learning (maximum score and Delayed Recall), Knopman Test (First Trial, Second Trial, and Recall after 5 Minutes), Digit Symbol, and Visual "A" Cancellation Test (Additions). Results supported the hypothesis that memory complaints represent the earliest symptom of familial Alzheimer's disease. In addition to the memory difficulties, other minor cognitive impairments were also found, particularly, mild anomia, concentration difficulties and defects in the understanding of complex verbal material.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Correlation between intelligence test scores and executive function measures.

In this study, some executive function measures (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test [WCST], verbal fluency, and Trial Making Test [TMT], Form A and Form B) were correlated with Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) scores. Fifty 13- to 16-year-old normal children were selected. It was found that verbal fluency tests correlated about 0.30 with Verbal Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Full Scale IQ. In the WCST only Perseverative Errors negatively correlated with Verbal IQ and Full Scale IQ. Two correlations were found to be significant with regard to the TMT: TMT Form B Errors negatively correlated with WISC-R Vocabulary subtest; and TMT Form A Time negatively correlated with Performance IQ. These results support the assumption that traditional intelligence tests are not appropriately evaluating executive functions.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1999

Ifosfamide, vinorelbine and gemcitabine in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. A phase I study.

The objective of this phase I study was to identify the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and toxicity of a three drug, platinum-free regimen, including gemcitabine, ifosfamide and vinorelbine, in the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). 33 chemotherapy-naïve patients with histologically confirmed, unresectable NSCLC, received fixed doses of ifosfamide (1500 mg/m2 days 1-3 with mesna) and vinorelbine (25 mg/m2 days 3 and 8). The gemcitabine dose was escalated from 500 to 1200 mg/m2 on days 3 and 8 every third week. The escalation was stopped at dose level 4 (gemcitabine 1200 mg/m2) since all 3 patients of this cohort showed dose-limiting thrombocytopenia and/or neutropenia at treatment cycle 1. The dose recommended for phase II trials is: gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 and vinorelbine 25 mg/m2 given on days 3 and 8 plus ifosfamide 1500 mg/m2 on days 1-3. An encouraging response rate of 50% (95% confidence interval (CI): 32-68%) was observed in 32 patients evaluated. Our results show that ifosfamide, vinorelbine and gemcitabine can be safely administered as outpatient chemotherapy for NSCLC. Myelosuppression is the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of this regimen with no major subjective side-effects observed.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

NEUROPSI: a brief neuropsychological test battery in Spanish with norms by age and educational level.

The purpose of this research was to develop, standardize, and test the reliability of a short neuropsychological test battery in the Spanish language. This neuropsychological battery was named "NEUROPSI," and was developed to assess briefly a wide spectrum of cognitive functions, including orientation, attention, memory, language, visuoperceptual abilities, and executive functions. The NEUROPSI includes items that are relevant for Spanish-speaking communities. It can be applied to illiterates and low educational groups. Administration time is 25 to 30 min. Normative data were collected from 800 monolingual Spanish-speaking individuals, ages 16 to 85 years. Four age groups were used: (1) 16 to 30 years, (2) 31 to 50 years, (3) 51 to 65 years, and (4) 66 to 85 years. Data also are analyzed and presented within 4 different educational levels that were represented in this sample; (1) illiterates (zero years of school); (2) 1 to 4 years of school; (2) 5 to 9 years of school; and (3) 10 or more years of formal education. The effects of age and education, as well as the factor structure of the NEUROPSI are analyzed. The NEUROPSI may fulfill the need for brief, reliable, and objective evaluation of a broad range of cognitive functions in Spanish-speaking populations.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in 4- to 17-year-old children in the general population.

The purposes of this study were (a) to estimate the prevalence of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) symptoms in the general preschool and school population; and (b) to analyze the influence of gender, age, and socioeconomic status (SES) variables on AD/HD symptoms. Out of the 80,000 preschool and schoolchildren living in Manizales, Colombia, a random sample of 540 children was selected. Two gender, three age (4- to 5-year olds, 6- to 11-year olds, and 12- to 17-year olds), and three SES (low, middle, and high) groups were used. The 18 DSM-IV symptoms corresponding to AD/HD Criterion A were assessed on a scale of 0 (never) to 3 (almost always). All three demographic variables established statistically significant differences: AD/HD symptoms were more frequent in 6- to 11-year-old, low-SES, male participants. DSM-IV Criterion A for AD/HD was fulfilled by 19.8% of the boys and 12.3% of the girls. However, this difference was marginally significant only in the AD/HD Subtype I: Combined. It was concluded that demographic variables are significant correlates of the AD/HD diagnosis. The prevalence found in this study was higher than usually reported, even though only the symptomatic DSM-IV AD/HD criterion was analyzed. We failed to confirm the assumed AD/HD gender ratio.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Mortality and causes of death in celiac disease in a Mediterranean area.

No data on mortality in celiac disease are currently available in southern Europe. Our aim was to evaluate mortality and the cause of death in adult celiac disease in a Mediterranean area. In all, 228 adults with celiac disease were histologically diagnosed in our department from 1980 to 1997. Full information on their state of health was obtained in 216 of 228 patients. A tabulation of patient-years at risk was constructed in terms of age at diagnosis and the interval from diagnosis. Standardized mortality ratio was calculated by dividing the number of observed deaths by the number of expected deaths. Twelve deaths were observed, whereas 3.12 deaths were expected (SMR = 3.8; 95% CI 2-7). The increased mortality was mainly observed within four years from diagnosis (8 observed; 1.4 expected) (SMR = 5.8; 95% CI 2.5-11.5). Twelve tumors were observed (six lymphomas). In conclusion, mortality from adult celiac disease in our geographical area is increased compared with the general population, and this increased risk seems due to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Xeno-oestrogens and phyto-oestrogens induce the synthesis of leukaemia inhibitory factor by human and bovine oviduct cells.

In bovine oviduct cells 17beta-oestradiol can induce the synthesis of leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF), a glycoprotein essential for embryo implantation. Therefore substances which are structurally similar to 17beta-oestradiol and possess oestrogenic activity may also modulate LIF synthesis and influence the reproductive process. We used primary cultures of bovine and human oviduct cells (epithelial cells:fibroblasts 1:1) to compare the effects of 17beta-oestradiol, phyto-oestrogens (genistein, biochanin A, daidzein, formononetin, and equol) and xeno-oestrogens [polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB): trichlorobiphenyl, 4-hydroxy-trichlorobiphenyl and 4-hydroxy-dichlorobiphenyl] on LIF synthesis. Immunoreactive LIF-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the concentration of LIF in the culture medium. Similar to 17beta-oestradiol, genistein (0.02-2 micromol/l) induced LIF synthesis in bovine oviduct cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Equol, biochanin A and daidzein (2 micromol/l), 4-hydroxy-trichlorobiphenyl and 4-hydroxy-dichlorobiphenyl (0.01-10 micromol/l) but not formononetin (2 micromol/l) also induced LIF synthesis in bovine cells. Phyto-oestrogens and xeno-oestrogens also induced LIF synthesis in human oviduct cells (P < 0.05). The stimulatory effects of PCB, phyto-oestrogens and 17beta-oestradiol were blocked by ICI 182,780 (1 micromol/l). Moreover, 17beta-oestradiol, 4-hydroxy-trichlorobiphenyl, 4-hydroxy-dichlorobiphenyl, genistein, tamoxifen and ICI 182,780 displaced [(3)H]17beta-oestradiol from cytosolic oestrogen receptors in bovine oviduct cells. These results suggest that phyto-oestrogens and PCB mimic the effects of oestradiol in inducing LIF synthesis by bovine and human oviduct cells and that these stimulatory effects are oestrogen receptor-mediated. Environmental oestrogens act as endocrine modulators/disrupters and may induce deleterious effects on the reproductive process by influencing LIF synthesis in a non-cyclic fashion leading to tubal infertility.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Phytoestrogens inhibit growth and MAP kinase activity in human aortic smooth muscle cells.

-Estrogens are known to induce cardioprotective effects by inhibiting smooth muscle cell (SMC) growth and neointima formation. However, the use of estrogens as cardioprotective agents is limited by carcinogenic effects in women and feminizing effects in men. If noncarcinogenic and nonfeminizing estrogenlike compounds, such as natural phytoestrogens, afford cardioprotection, this would provide a safe method for prevention of cardiovascular disease in both men and women. Therefore, we evaluated and compared in human aortic SMCs the effects of phytoestrogens (formononetin, genistein, biochanin A, daidzein, and equol) on 2.5% fetal calf serum-induced proliferation (3H-thymidine incorporation and cell number), collagen synthesis (3H-proline incorporation), and total protein synthesis (3H-leucine incorporation) and on PDGF-BB (25 ng/mL)-induced migration (modified Boydens chambers). Moreover, the effects of phytoestrogens on PDGF-BB (25 ng/mL)-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) activity in SMCs was also studied. Phytoestrogens inhibited proliferation, collagen and total protein synthesis, migration, and MAP kinase activity in a concentration-dependent manner and in the following order of potency: biochanin A>genistein>equol>daidzein>formononetin. In conclusion, our studies provide the first evidence that in human aortic SMCs phytoestrogens inhibit mitogen-induced proliferation, migration and extracellular matrix synthesis and inhibit/downregulate MAP kinase activity. Thus, phytoestrogens may confer protective effects on the cardiovascular system by inhibiting vascular remodeling and neointima formation and may be clinically useful as a safer substitute for feminizing estrogens in preventing cardiovascular disease in both women and men.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Impairment of the developmental potential of frozen-thawed human zygotes obtained after intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of cryopreservation on the survival, cleavage, and morphology of embryos and on the implantation and embryonic loss rates of human zygotes obtained after ICSI compared with frozen-thawed zygotes obtained after traditional IVF. A further objective was to evaluate the same parameters in nonfrozen sibling ICSI and IVF zygotes and to compare them with corresponding frozen-thawed zygotes. DESIGN: Open, retrospective, comparative study. SETTING: University-associated assisted reproductive program. PATIENT(S): Couples with severe male factor infertility and couples undergoing IVF during the same period. INTERVENTION(S): A cohort of 408 ICSI zygotes and 299 IVF zygotes was frozen in 1,2 propanediol and sucrose using a slow-freezing protocol. Both groups of zygotes were frozen at approximately the same time after microassisted or conventional insemination. One hundred and eighty-seven ICSI and 110 IVF frozen zygotes were rapidly thawed during 44 ICSI cycles and 24 IVF cycles. Zygotes that appeared to have survived were cultured for 24 hours, and most of these embryos that were morphologically normal were transferred into patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Survival rate (morphologically intact after thawing), cleavage rate and morphology of embryos, implantation rate, and the incidence of embryonic losses. RESULT(S): Except for survival rates, for which both ICSI and IVF frozen-thawed zygotes showed similar and relatively high values (87.7% and 89.1%), the outcomes of other parameters evaluated were significantly different. Thus, from a total of 128 ICSI and 68 IVF embryos transferred, 14 (10.9%) and 17 (25.0%) implanted in 44 ICSI and 24 IVF frozen-thawed cycles, respectively. This difference in implantation corresponded with the rate of cleavage and morphology of the replaced embryos; the embryos that developed from frozen-thawed IVF zygotes cleaved faster and were more regular compared to the frozen-thawed ICSI zygotes. The embryonic loss rate was 57.1% for cryopreserved ICSI zygotes and 11.8% for IVF zygotes. On the other hand, no difference in cleavage pattern, embryo morphology, implantation, and embryonic loss rates was found between nonfrozen sibling ICSI and IVF zygotes. CONCLUSION(S): The zygotes arising from ICSI cycles survived cryopreservation at a rate similar to IVF zygotes, but their ability to implant and develop further was probably affected by the cryopreservation procedure. The timing of zygote freezing was considered to be the principal reason for the lower developmental potential of frozen-thawed ICSI zygotes in the present study.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Toward a model of neuropsychological activity.

The main purpose of this research was to establish the intercorrelations existing among different psychological and neuropsychological test scores in a normal and homogeneous population. A second purpose was to attempt further step in the component analysis of cognitive activity measured by means of neuropsychological tests. A comprehensive neuropsychological test battery was assembled and individually administered to a 300-subject sample, aged 17-25 year-old. All of them were right-handed male university students. The battery included some basic neuropsychological tests directed to assess language, calculation abilities, spatial cognition, praxic abilities, memory, perceptual abilities, and executive functions. In addition, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale was administered. Forty-one different scores were calculated. Correlations among the different test scores were analyzed. It was found that some of the tests presented a quite complex intecorrelation system, whereas other tests presented few or no significant correlations. Mathematical ability tests and orthography knowledge represented the best predictors of Full Scale IQ. A factor analysis with varimax rotation disclosed five factors (verbal, visuoperceptual, executive function, fine movements, and memory) accounting for 63.6% of the total variance. Implications of these results for a neuropsychological model about brain organization of cognition were analyzed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Neuropsychological test performance in illiterate subjects.

The purpose of this study was to further analyze the effects of education across different age ranges on neuropsychological test performance. Two different analyses were performed. The first analysis was conducted in order to pinpoint the impact of school attendance on neuropsychological testing. A group of 64 illiterate normal subjects was selected in the Mexican Republic. Their performance was compared with two barely schooled control groups (1-2 and 3-4 years of schooling). The subjects' ages ranged from 16 to 85 years. In the second analysis, the illiterate subjects were further matched by age and sex with individuals with 1 to 4, 5 to 9, and 10 to 19 years of formal education. The Spanish version of the NEUROPSI neuropsychological test battery (Ostrosky, Ardila, & Rosselli, 1997) was used. Results indicated a significant educational effect on most of the tests. Largest educational effect was noted in constructional abilities (copying of a figure), language (comprehension), phonological verbal fluency, and conceptual functions (similarities, calculation abilities, and sequences). Aging effect was noted in visuoperceptual (visual detection) and memory scores. In the first subject sample, it was evident that, despite using such limited educational range (from 0-4 years of formal education), and such a wide age range (from 16-85 years), schooling represented a stronger variable than age. It is proposed that education effect on neuropsychological test performance represents a negatively accelerated curve, tending to a plateau.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1998

Arithmetical abilities in Alzheimer disease.

The purpose of this research was to analyze the calculation abilities in Alzheimer Disease (AD). Twenty right-handed patients meeting the DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) criteria for AD were studied. Age ranged from 64- to 88-year-old. A neuropsychological test battery including language, memory, constructional abilities, attention, mathematics, and abstraction tests was administered. In addition, the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) (Folstein, Folstein, McHugh, 1975) was also administered. Mathematical subtests correlated higher than the MMSE with the scores in the different neuropsychological tests. Highest correlations of the mathematical subtests were observed with language repetition, non-verbal memory, and attention tasks. It is proposed that mathematical ability tests represent in AD an excellent predictor of general intellectual performance. It is further proposed that disturbances in arithmetical ability should be included as a diagnostic criteria for AD.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Executive dysfunctions in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

One hundred and twenty-four male children ranging in age from seven to 12 years-old were selected. The sample was divided into two groups: (1) sixty-two with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children; and (2) sixty-two normal matched controls (N-ADHD). Three tests were individually administered: (1) Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST); (2) Verbal fluency and semantics (animals and fruits); and, (3) Picture Arrangement subtest of the WISC-R. For all the test scores, statistically significant differences were found between both ADHD and N-ADHD groups. Two separate factor analyses were performed, using the normal and ADHD groups. Four factors were found for the N-ADHD group, which accounted for 85.7% of the variance. The factor structure presented some similarities in both groups: Factor 2, 3 and 4 in the control group corresponded to factors 1, 2 and 3 in the ADHD group. Nonetheless, in the ADHD group Factor 1 (Abstraction and Flexibility Factor) was absent. Results are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis of executive dysfunction in children with ADHD.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

PubMed1998

[Variability of the Boston test for the diagnosis of aphasia in active working adults].

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of age, gender, socioeconomic status (SES), academic achievement (education), and type of occupation, on the performance of the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE) Spanish version. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The BDAE was administered to a group of 156, 19 to 60 years old, occupationally active normal subjects. RESULTS: A descriptive analysis showed that some subjects (1 to 3%) scored in the pathological range of the centiles and profiles of the BDAE. A MANOVA (p < 0.05) demonstrated a significant effect of education over most of the BDAE subtests. Females outperformed males on some reading and writing subtests. SES had an effect over body part identification and naming. Significant differences were observed between younger and middle age groups in confrontation naming, oral and word picture reading. The older group scored significantly lower than the younger group in serial writing and sentences to dictation. No differences were observed between the older and the middle groups. Only oral spelling was affected by the type of occupation but a significant interaction of occupation and level of education was found. CONCLUSIONS: Language tests are influenced by demographic variables, particularly education. Normal variability on the BDAE should be considered when dealing with clinical populations.

Adolescent↗