Page 42 - Annual Report 2018

cognitive complaints show a greater mer's disease. Likewise, the socioeconomic status as-
relationship with the development of cognitive sociated with a person's area of residence can be
impairment. understood as an environmental factor that deter-
mines to some extent the probability of developing
1.2. Usefulness of various cognitive parameters as
early markers: Numerous studies have shown a possible cognitive impairment.
that there are certain cognitive variables that The interest of the Department of Neuropsychology
allow the identification of subjects at higher risk for this construct focuses on analyzing different va-
of developing Alzheimer's disease years before riables that apparently have the capacity to confer
their diagnosis. With this idea in mind, we cognitive reserve and therefore could play a pro-
investigate whether certain parameters of the tective role against cognitive impairment. Within the
neuropsychological protocol, in the context of a Vallecas Project, this set of variables is being studied
longitudinal research project such as the
Vallecas Project, are useful to identify individuals individually and in groups, with special emphasis on
at risk of cognitive impairment. These the activities of daily life performed in the middle sta-
parameters are analyzed in an evolutionary ges of life.
way together with the rest of clinical and
genetic information of each volunteer in order 3. Spain-Portugal Longevity Research Program (PILEP
to obtain a classification algorithm that could + 90) PILEP + 90 is a research project designed to
eventually be generalized to daily clinical examine the role of biological and environmental
practice.
determinants associated with longevity and, more
specifically, dementia-free longevity. For this, the
In addition, the Department of
Neuropsychology is interested in developing study analyzes different variables associated with
new assessment tools that allow examining the cognition, health, lifestyles and brain structure in two
role of other cognitive markers not studied in cohorts of people over 90 from Madrid and Braga.
standard neuropsychological evaluations. It is
expected that the identification of these The research program is led by the CIEN Foundation
markers increase sensitivity and specificity when Neuropsychology department and it includes rese-
detecting individuals at risk of dementia.
archers from four different institutions in Spain (CIEN
Foundation, Madrid Health Autonomous Organiza-
2. The relationship between cognitive reserve and
socioeconomic status with the onset of cognitive im- tion, Complutense University of Madrid, and Biome-
pairmento The cognitive reserve is a theoretical dical Technology Center), Portugal (University of
construct that formulated several decades ago to Minho) and Denmark (University of Southern Den-
explain the lack of correspondence between the mark) throughout three research subprojects:
degree of brain damage and clinical symptoms so-
metimes observed among patients. It is presumed as • “Factors associated with healthy and
an individual capacity that develops throughout the pathological aging in a sample of people over
life cycle fundamentally through formal education, 90 years from the city of Madrid (MADRID+90)”,
the type of professional activity performed and the led by Dr. Miguel Ángel Fernández-Blázquez,
intellectual activity developed. Numerous studies head of the Department of Neuropsychology of
have supported the protective role played by the the CIEN Foundation.
cognitive reserve in modifying the course of different • “Factors associated with healthy and
neurodegenerative pathologies, including Alzhei- pathological aging in a sample of people over
90 years of age in the Braga region

CIEN Foundation Annual Report 2018 / 42