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A new standardization of semantic verbal fluency test

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Abstract

Semantic verbal fluency test is frequently used in clinical practice to assess lexical retrieval and production in neurological and psychiatric diseases. Semantic category is a crucial variable to consider in patients with language disorders. Norms for this task were collected from a population of 290 Italian healthy participants with age ranging from 18 to 98 years. The aim was to provide normative data both for the global score and for each semantic category (animals, fruits, brands of cars). Multiple regression analysis revealed that age and education significantly correlated with the global score and with single semantic categories. In particular, increasing age negatively affected performance, whereas the performance increased with a higher education. Statistically significant differences between men and women were found only for brands of cars. The availability of equivalent scores for the single semantic categories will prove useful in clinical practice since it allows the comparison of single semantic categories in patients with language disorders.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Neurosurgery, Fondazione IRCCS, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy

    Barbara Zarino

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy

    Marta Crespi & Michela Launi

  3. Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Milano, Milan, Italy

    Alessandra Casarotti

  4. Department of Translational Medicine, University of Milano, Milan, Italy

    Alessandra Casarotti

  5. Unit of Neurosurgical Oncology, Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, MI, Italy

    Alessandra Casarotti

Authors
  1. Barbara Zarino
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  2. Marta Crespi
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  3. Michela Launi
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  4. Alessandra Casarotti
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Correspondence to Barbara Zarino.

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Zarino, B., Crespi, M., Launi, M. et al. A new standardization of semantic verbal fluency test. Neurol Sci 35, 1405–1411 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-014-1729-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-014-1729-1

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