Neuropsychological Profiling of Wayuu Indigenous Population: Disparities and Cultural Considerations
José F. Hernandez Preciado1, Wanda Torres1, Alex Dominguez Vargas3, Yesenia Pianneta1, Mauricio Medina4, Marybel Sinisterra2, Jose Enrique Vargas Manotas1
1Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Simón Bolívar, 2Universidad Simón Bolívar, 3División Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Norte, 4Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Manizales
Objective:
To assess the neuropsychological profile in the Wayuu indigenous population.
Background:
The neuropsychological profile within indigenous communities is a complex interplay of cultural, social, and environmental factors that significantly influence cognitive functioning and distinct neuropsychological patterns. The neuropsychological profile has not been extensively characterized within the Wayuu indigenous community.
Design/Methods:
A cross-sectional study. Wayuu indigenous individuals (n=100) and non-indigenous individuals (n=100) from the northern coast of the Colombian Caribbean were included. The neuropsychological profile was assessed using the following tests: HLVT-T, Clue Recall, Delayed Recall, QSM Classification, TMT-A, TMT-B, KEY, Lawton & Brody, Yesavage, and MOCA. The Wilcoxon test was applied to compare median scores between Wayuu indigenous and non-indigenous individuals. Additionally, the Spearman test was used to assess the correlation between test scores.
Results:
The Wayuu population exhibited significantly lower scores in neuropsychological tests related to memory, learning, autonomy, depression, and cognitive function in comparison to non-indigenous individuals (p<0.01). Significant positive correlations were observed between Clue Recall and HLVT-R (Spearman r = 0.82, p<0.001), Clue Recall and Delayed Recall (Spearman r=0.69, p<0.001), and between Lawton & Brody and MOCA (Spearman r=0.42, p<0.001). In contrast, significant negative correlations were found between Yesavage and MOCA (Spearman r = -0.45, p < 0.001), and between Yesavage and Lawton/Brody (Spearman r = -0.45, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
Our study emphasizes significant cognitive gaps within the Wayuu indigenous community. The neuropsychological landscape of this indigenous population reveals the impact of historical and contemporary factors on cognitive health, emphasizing the necessity of culturally tailored interventions to improve neurocognitive well-being in these communities.