Mental Status Examination of an Exceptional Case of Longevity
- 1 February 1995
- journal article
- Published by Royal College of Psychiatrists in The British Journal of Psychiatry
- Vol. 166 (2), 229-235
- https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.166.2.229
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mental status examination of an extreme case of longevity, J. C., aged 118 years and 9 months, is documented in order to further knowledge regarding profiles of morbidity in the extremely elderly. J. C. is presently considered to have the longest authenticated life-span in the history of the human species. METHOD Neuropsychological tests were improvised taking into account the subject's severe perceptual deficits. The examination was carried out over a six-month period. A CT scan was also conducted. RESULTS The subject's performance on tests of verbal memory and language fluency is comparable to that of persons with the same level of education in their eighties and nineties. Frontal lobe functions are relatively spared and there is no evidence of depressive symptomatology or other functional illness. Cognitive functioning was found to slightly improve over a six-month period. CONCLUSIONS The subject shows no evidence of progressive neurological disease. A high initial level of intellectual ability may have constituted a protective factor.Keywords
This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit:
- The eugeria study of cognitive ageing: Who are the ‘normal’ elderly?International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 1993
- Clinical, pathological, and neurochemical changes in dementia: A subgroup with preserved mental status and numerous neocortical plaquesAnnals of Neurology, 1988
- Pantomimes and AgingJournal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 1987
- Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: A preliminary reportJournal of Psychiatric Research, 1982