Cognitive performance of individuals with animal hoarding

Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2020 Feb 24;18(1):40. doi: 10.1186/s12955-020-01288-1.

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to characterize the cognitive performance of individuals with animal hoarding.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, in which 33 individuals between the ages of 29 to 84 (M = 61.39; SD = 12.69) with animal hoarding have been assessed. The participants completed a neurocognitive battery including measures of general cognitive functioning, visual memory and organization, verbal fluency, and verbal reasoning.

Results: Data suggest that individuals with animal hoarding have high rates of cognitive deficits related to visual memory and verbal reasoning.

Conclusions: Based on the performance tests used, we can suggest the existence of cognitive difficulties related especially to the executive functions of individuals with animal hoarding in this sample.

Keywords: Animal hoarding; Cognitive profile; Executive functions.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animals
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cats
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / complications
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Dogs
  • Executive Function / physiology
  • Female
  • Hoarding Disorder / complications
  • Hoarding Disorder / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Quality of Life