Study of Correlations between Cognitive Performance, Age, and Education in the MAPS-T Screening Test

Introduction The MAPS-T is a screening instrument currently under development in Brazil, designed for patients over 50 years of age and administered in a computerized format, either online or with assistance. Its purpose is to assess memory binding abilities, which involve integrating complex elements into unified representations, crucial for both short- and long-term memory. Conjunctive binding in short-term memory is responsible for the temporary retention of associations or combinations of features, such as color and shape. Screening instruments like the MAPS-T aim to be low-cost, quick, and non-invasive tools that provide indicators of potential clinical conditions. Objectives To investigate the relationship between performance on memory tasks involving binding and the variables age and educational level. Methods A total of 33 individuals aged between 50 and 78 years (M=62.09; SD=6.67) with 6 to 35 years of education (M=19.88; SD=5.63) were evaluated. Participants with reported neurological/psychiatric conditions or uncorrected sensory impairments were excluded. Data collection was conducted on a computer by a trained administrator in sessions lasting 15 minutes. The memory binding task required the recognition of a nameable figure and the color and geometric shape surrounding it. Data were analyzed using Spearman’s correlation. Results Spearman’s correlation coefficients indicated that age did not show a significant correlation with total recognition, binding score, or dichotomous score (p > 0.05), suggesting that this variable does not have a relevant association with performance in these scores. In contrast, education demonstrated a moderate and significant correlation with total recognition, binding score, and dichotomous score (p < 0.05), suggesting that more years of education are associated with better performance in these areas. Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation age education_level_years Valid N (listwise) 33 33 32 50,00 6 78,00 35 62,0909 19,88 6,67254 5,628 Age education_level_years MAPS-T - total_recognition_phase_2 Correlation Coefficient ,194 ,431* Sig. (2-tailed) ,280 ,012 N 33 33 MAPS-T - binding_score Correlation Coefficient ,198 ,383* Sig. (2-tailed) ,268 ,028 N 33 33 MAPS-T - dichotomous_score Correlation Coefficient ,181 ,406* Sig. (2-tailed) ,313 ,019 N 33 33 Conclusions Education showed a positive and consistent association with performance across all test measures (total recognition, binding score, and dichotomous score). Age, in turn, did not show a significant correlation with these variables, indicating that, in this sample, education is a more important factor than age in explaining performance on the MAPS-T scores, particularly in the binding stage. Disclosure of Interest None Declared