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Study of Correlations between Cognitive Performance, Age, and Education in the MAPS-T Screening Test
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 August 2025
Abstract
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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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ageeducation_level_yearsValid N (listwise) | 333332 | 50,006 | 78,0035 | 62,090919,88 | 6,672545,628 |
| 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
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- European Psychiatry , Volume 68 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 33rd European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2025 , pp. S907 - S908
- Creative Commons
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.- Copyright
- © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of European Psychiatric Association
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