Effects of Age, Gender and Education on Phonemic and Semantic Verbal Fluency

Aki, Özlem Erden; Alkan, Burcu; Demirsoz, Talat; Velibasoglu, Berge; Tasdemir, Tugba; Erbas, Serap Piri; Selvi, Kerim; Ergenç, İclâl; Barışkın, Elif; Özdemir, Pınar; Demir, Başaran

doi:10.5080/u25553

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…In patients with mild cognitive impairment and with AD, Kawano et al [ 36 ] found that years of education were significantly related to SF test scores, but not significantly related to PF test scores. Similar effects of years of education and age have been consistently reported in many languages [ 22 , 37 , 38 ]. One reason that might being interfering in the comprehension of age and education level, is the variability of cognitive reserve in adult population [ 39 ].…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Phonological and Semantic Fluency in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Olmos-Villaseñor,

Sepulveda-Silva,

Julio-Ramos

et al. 2023

JAD

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Background: Semantic and Phonological fluency (SF and PF) are routinely evaluated in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). There are disagreements in the literature regarding which fluency task is more affected while developing AD. Most studies focus on SF assessment, given its connection with the temporoparietal amnesic system. PF is less reported, it is related to working memory, which is also impaired in probable and diagnosed AD. Differentiating between performance on these tasks might be informative in early AD diagnosis, providing an accurate linguistic profile. Objective: Compare SF and PF performance in healthy volunteers, volunteers with probable AD, and patients with AD diagnosis, considering the heterogeneity of age, gender, and educational level variables. Methods: A total of 8 studies were included for meta-analysis, reaching a sample size of 1,270 individuals (568 patients diagnosed with AD, 340 with probable AD diagnosis, and 362 healthy volunteers). Results: The three groups consistently performed better on SF than PF. When progressing to a diagnosis of AD, we observed a significant difference in SF and PF performance across our 3 groups of interest (p = 0.04). The age variable explained a proportion of this difference in task performance across the groups, and as age increases, both tasks equally worsen. Conclusion: The performance of SF and PF might play a differential role in early AD diagnosis. These tasks rely on partially different neural bases of language processing. They are thus worth exploring independently in diagnosing normal aging and its transition to pathological stages, including probable and diagnosed AD.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Phonological and Semantic Fluency in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Olmos-Villaseñor,

Sepulveda-Silva,

Julio-Ramos

et al. 2023

JAD

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“…Repetition errors, as a form of perseverative error, are seen as signalling a failure in inhibition and self-monitoring (Crawford et al, 1998). This finding does not align with those of Erden Aki et al (2022), who reported no gender differences in repetition errors on a phonetic fluency task. Evidence regarding gender-based differences in cognition is, however, highly ambivalent and more work is needed to establish whether these have clinical significance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…Also as anticipated, years of education was significantly and positively related to and positively predicted overall COWAT performance and performance on the COWAT subscales, with more highly educated participants obtaining higher average scores than less educated participants. The impact that education has on word production has been reported (Aki et al, 2022;İlkmen & Büyükişcan, 2022;Nogueira et al, 2016) and seems to be consistent across cultures and languages (Oberg & Ramírez, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Phonemic verbal fluency in non-WEIRD populations: Demographic differences in performance in the Controlled Oral Word Association Test-FAS

Ferreira-Correia,

Banjo,

Israel

2024

African Journal of Psychological Assessment

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This study aimed to investigate whether age, level of education, gender, number of spoken languages, and the self-reported position of language within this multilingual experience predicted performance on the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT-FAS). Using a cross-sectional research design, the phonemic verbal fluency of a sample (n = 156) of healthy adults (ages 18–60 years) with different linguistic and educational backgrounds from a non-WEIRD (western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic) context was assessed using the COWAT-FAS (including the F, A, S, total correct, repetition, incorrect, and total errors). Pearson’s correlations showed significant negative associations between age and most of the COWAT scores, including the total (r = –0.47; p 0.01) and significant positive associations between years of education and all of the COWAT scores, including the total (r = 0.49; p 0.01). The number of languages spoken was not significantly correlated with any of the COWAT scores, but multilinguals who identified English as a first language performed significantly better than those who identified English as a secondary language for several COWAT scores, including the total (t154 = 3.85; p 0.001; d = 0.79). Age (B = –0.32; p 0.001), years of education (B = 0.35; p 0.001), and language position (B = –0.20; p 0.01) also significantly predicted the COWAT total score (r2 = 0.38; F = 18.34; p 0.001; f2 = 0.61). The implications of these findings for use of the COWAT-FAS in multilingual and non-WEIRD contexts are discussed.Contribution: This article supports the importance of understanding the role demographic variables play in cognitive performance and how they represent a source of bias in cognitive testing, particularly in the COWAT-FAS. It highlights how age, level of education, and the correspondence, or lack thereof, between first language and language of assessment, impacts phonemic fluency tasks. This knowledge may help to manage biases when conducting verbal fluency assessments with multilingual individuals and in non-WEIRD contexts.

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“…Visual memory was assessed with Wechsler Memory Scale‐Visual Reproduction Scale 1‐2 (Karakas et al., 1996; Wechsler, 1987). For assessment of verbal fluency and speed of verbal production Phonemic and Semantic Verbal Fluency Tests (Erden Aki et al., 2013; Lezak, 1995); for attention, motor speed and mental flexibility Trail Making Test A and B (Cangoz et al., 2009; Spreen & Strauss, 1998); for attention and motor impulsivity Go/no‐go Test (Bezdjian et al., 2009) and for attention and working memory Digit Span Test Part A and B were administered (Karakas et al., 1996; Wechsler, 1987).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A diffusion tensor imaging study in schizophrenia patients with clozapine induced obsessive compulsive symptoms

Oğuz

Eroğlu

et al. 2022

Human Psychopharmacology

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Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate brain connectivity by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in schizophrenia patients with clozapine‐induced obsessive compulsive symptoms (OCS). Methods Eighteen schizophrenia patients, nine of which had clozapine‐induced OCS (Clz‐OCS (+)), 9 without OCS (Clz‐OCS (−)) and 9 healthy controls were included. Psychopathology was evaluated with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Yale‐Brown Obsession and Compulsion Scale in the patient groups. All groups were assesed with neurocognitive tests and DTI. Results Tract‐Based Spatial Statistics based comparison of DTI revealed lower fractional anisotropy in the genu of corpus callosum (CC), right cingulum, left frontal white matter (WM) in the Clz‐OCS (+) group, compared to controls. Fractional anisotropy was found to be lower in the bilateral occipital WM and higher in the bilateral medial temporal regions, anterior limb of internal capsule, cingulum, frontoparietal peripheral WM, right external capsule and genu of CC in Clz‐OCS (+) patients compared to Clz‐OCS (−). Conclusions WM integrity in several pathways such as cortico‐striato‐thalamo‐cortical circuitry and orbito‐frontal tracts seems to be affected differently in patients with Clz‐OCS (+). Different neuroplastic effects of clozapine leading to occurrence of OCS in a subgroup of patients is possible, and needs further evaluation by longitudinal follow‐up studies.

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Effects of Age, Gender and Education on Phonemic and Semantic Verbal Fluency

Cited by 6 publications

References 23 publications

Phonological and Semantic Fluency in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Phonological and Semantic Fluency in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Phonemic verbal fluency in non-WEIRD populations: Demographic differences in performance in the Controlled Oral Word Association Test-FAS

A diffusion tensor imaging study in schizophrenia patients with clozapine induced obsessive compulsive symptoms

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