Learning Objective #1: Understand Mexican older adults performance on capacity to direct attention and it's relation to education and independence measured by instrumental activities of daily living

Learning Objective #2: Understand about Mexican older adults performance on three different tests that measure capacity to direct attention

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The capacity to direct attention (CDA) is required to perform daily activities. Capacity to direct attention declines with age, putting the elderly at risk for health problems. Exercise has been associated with CDA, due to increase in blood flow to the brain. The purposes of this pilot study were two fold, to: a) explore the performance of a sample of elderly in Mexico on three different tests, that measure CDA, digit span forward (DSF), digit span backward (DSB), trail making, parts A and B (TMT), and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT); and b) explore the relationship between performance on CDA measures, exercise and (IADL). The inclusion criteria included: ability to understand and communicate letters and numbers and three or less errors on the Pfeiffer test. The sample size was comprised of 36 elders, 23 females and 13 males, from low socioeconomic status, whose mean age was 71.47 years and of education was 4.25 years. Only, two women and 10 men reported doing > 90 minutes of exercise during the last week. Five elders (13.9%) performed in the “defective” range (recall of three digits) on the DSF while 33 (91.7%) (recall of three or two digits) on the DSB. Results based on gender differences indicated that for men, years of school and CDA were related to independence rs .598, p .03, rs .64, p .01, respectively and age was negatively associated to CDA rs = - .63, p .02. For women years of school and independence were related to CDA .41, p .049; rs .51, p .013, respectively. Lean body mass may be a reflection of the physical activities or exercise, but in contradiction to other findings no relation was found. Exercise may be a factor in CDA however, a larger study is needed to evaluate the relationships for statistical significance.