Patricia Scherer

Publications (2)1.44 Total impact

• Article: Primitive reflexes and cognitive function.

  Alfredo Damasceno, Adriane M Delicio, Daniel F C Mazo, João F D Zullo, Patricia Scherer, Ronny T Y Ng, Benito P Damasceno
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  ABSTRACT: Data on the prevalence of primitive reflexes (PR) in adulthood, their pathological significance and relationship to age and cognition are controversial. To study the relationship between PR and cognition in 30 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 154 control subjects. Diagnosis of probable AD was based on DSM-IV, NINCDS-ADRDA, and CAMDEX criteria. Primitive reflexes were quantified from zero (absent) to 1 (mild) or 2 (markedly present). The Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument-Short Form (CASI-S) was used to evaluate registration, temporal orientation, verbal fluency and recall. A drawing test was added. Most frequent PR among demented and controls were suck (77% and 62%, respectively) and snout (60% and 27%), followed by glabellar (30% and 19%), paratonia (37% and 5%), and palmomental (23% and 5%). None of controls had more than three PR. Frequency of PR tended to increase with age and cognitive deterioration. Grasp and Babinski responses were found only in dementia patients. Primitive reflexes were not correlated with each other, except snout with suck, and snout with glabellar reflex. The finding of grasp and Babinski sign, or the presence of more than three primitive signs, particularly the combination of paratonia, snout, suck, and palmomental reflexes strongly suggests brain dysfunction, especially when these signs are marked and accompanied by deficits in orientation, recall, verbal fluency, and constructional praxis.
  Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria 10/2005; 63(3A):577-82. · 0.72 Impact Factor
• Article: [Validation of the Brazilian version of mini-test CASI-S].

  Alfredo Damasceno, Adriane M Delicio, Daniel F C Mazo, João F D Zullo, Patricia Scherer, Ronny T Y Ng, Benito P Damasceno
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  ABSTRACT: To determine CASI-S accuracy in the diagnosis of dementia. The Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument - Short Form (CASI-S) was applied in 43 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and 74 normal controls. AD diagnosis was based on DSM-IV, NINCDS-ADRDA, and CAMDEX. CASI-S includes: registration, temporal orientation, verbal fluency (4-legged animals in 30s), and recall (3 words). Its maximum score is 33 points. A copy of 2 pentagons was added. ROC curve showed an accuracy of 0.87, with standard error of 0.032, and 95% confidence intervall between 0.795 and 0.925. The cut-off score for cognitive deficit was 23, with sensitivity of 76.7%, specificity 86.5%, positive likelihood ratio (LR) 5.68, and negative LR 0.27. The cut-off score for subjects 70 years or older was 20, with sensitivity of 71.4% and specificity 97.1%. CASI-S is a practical test, with high specificity, particularly in individuals above 70 years of age. The adding of the drawing test did not improve its accuracy.
  Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria 07/2005; 63(2B):416-21. · 0.72 Impact Factor