The Bell's test: a quantitative test evaluation of inattention and visuospatial neglect in the elderly.

Abstract

Bell's test, a cancellation task, permits a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of inattention and visual neglect. It was included in a neuropsychological assessment by Gauthier, Dehaut, and Joanette in 1989. It is a quick test that can detect visuospatial changes.

Objective: To demonstrate the importance of Bell's test in elderly individuals without visuospatial complaints. To evaluate Bell's test in different levels of schooling, age groups, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Modified Mini-Mental State (MMMS) tests.

Methods: A cross-sectional, randomized study was carried out on 278 elderly people, aged between 60 and 89 years old, with a mean age of 69.4 (±6.8 years standard deviation - SD). Among the participants, 73.9% of the females lived in Olinda City, Brazil. Age was stratified every five years between 60 and 89 years old, and schooling levels were categorized into four subgroups, ranging from illiterate to more than eight years old. Each participant underwent an analysis of age, sex, education, risk factors, MMSE, the modified MMMS, and Bell's test.

Results: The correlation between the A and B errors and age was statistically significant; as age increases, the number of errors also increases. A near significant and strong correlation was observed in individuals aged above 84 and between 60 and 64. Correlation between MMSE, MMSM, and Bell's test showed a significant, moderate negative correlation.

Conclusion: Increasing age worsens the results of the Bell test. The MMSE and the MMMS tests showed a direct relationship with the results of the Bell test.