The assessment of aphasics’ cognitive performance is challenging and such patients are generally excluded from studies that describe cognitive deficits after stroke. We evaluated aphasics’ performance in cognitive tasks compared to non-aphasic subjects. A sample of 47 patients (21 aphasics, 17 non-aphasics with left hemisphere lesions and 9 non-aphasics with right hemisphere lesions) performed cognitive tasks (attention, verbal and visual memory, executive functions, visuospatial skills and praxis). Aphasic patients performed poorer than all non-aphasics in Digit Span (p < 0.001), Clock-Drawing Test (p = 0.006), Verbal memory (p = 0.002), Visual Memory (p < 0.01), Verbal Fluency (p < 0.001), and Gesture Praxis (p < 0.001). Aphasia severity correlated with performance in Trail Making test part B (p = 0.004), Digit Span forward (p < 0.001) and backwards (p = 0.011), and Gesture Praxis (p = 0.002). Aphasia is accompanied by deficits not always easy to be evaluated by cognitive tests due to speech production and motor impairments. Assessment of cognitive functions in aphasics might contribute to optimize therapeutic intervention.

Aos meus amados pais, Wilson e Altair, pelo amor incondicional, por toda a dedicação e incentivo em todos os momentos de minha vida, meu profundo agradecimento.Ao meu esposo Eliandro, a quem tanto amo, pelo apoio, companheirismo e paciência. À toda a equipe do Programa de Assistência Domiciliária do HU-USP, pelo apoio e pela torcida diária.

In the normal aging processes, complaints of memory loss and auditory comprehension are not uncommon, principally in complex and cognitively demanding situations.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate skills of discourse comprehension and retention in a natural situation, by healthy aged in relation to variables such as age, schooling and cognitive screening measurement.MethodsThirty healthy elderly participated in the study (mean age=73.56 yrs; SD=6.26 and mean schooling=8.6 yrs; SD=4.41). Twelve news items were recorded and presented in three sequences of four news-groups. Participants were instructed to listen to the four news items, and upon completion were questioned about one of them.ResultsWe found no age or schooling effect on the performance of the subjects. The participants achieved almost full scores on all answers (ceiling effect).DiscussionThe heterogeneity of elderly and cognitive compensation in natural situations could explain these results of elderly behavior.

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