Dementia & Neuropsychologia · Mar 6, 2026

Standardization of gesture apraxia assessment in the elderly population of Olinda city in Northeast Brazil

By de Brito-Marques PR, Braga-Santos A

UNLABELLED: Apraxia is the inability to voluntarily perform learned gestures, even though sensory and motor functions are preserved. OBJECTIVE: To standardize apraxia gestures and pantomimes in the elderly population. METHODS: A brief clinical and family history, demographic data, the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, the Mini-Mental State (MMS), the Modified Mini-Mental State (MMMS), and an evaluation of ideomotor apraxia and pantomimes based on Liepmann's criteria were conducted. RESULTS: There were significant associations between pantomime tasks and MMS, MMMS, and age. Additionally, significant correlations were observed between ideomotor apraxia and MMS, MMMS, age, and higher education levels. CONCLUSION: The gesture tests demonstrated neuropsychological potential applicability in elderly individuals aged 60 to 79 who have completed at least eight years of education.

doi.org/10.1590/1980-5764-dn-2025-0336 Open access PubMed 41809027 Biomarkers