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Objectives: Screening tests play a crucial role in dementia diagnostics, thus they should be very sensitive for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) assessment. Nowadays, the MiniMental State Examination (MMSE) is the most commonly used scale in cognitive function evaluation, albeit it is claimed to be imprecise for MCI detection. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), was created as an alternative method for MMSE. Aim. MoCA vs. MMSE credibility assessment in detecting MCI, while taking into consideration the sensitivity and specificity by cut-off points., Methods: A systematic literature search was carried out by the authors using EBSCO host Web, Wiley Online Library, Springer Link, Science Direct and Medline databases. The following medical subject headings were used in the search: mild cognitive impairment, mini-mental state examination, Montreal cognitive assessment, diagnostics value. Papers which met inclusion and exclusion criteria were chosen to be included in this review. At the end, for the evaluation of MoCA 20, and MMSE 13 studies were qualified. Research credibility was established by computing weighted arithmetic mean, where weight is defined as population for which the result of sensitivity and specificity for the cut-off point was achieved. The cut-offs are shown as ROC curve and accuracy of diagnosis for MoCA and MMSE was calculated as the area under the curve (AUC)., Results: ROC curve analysis for MoCA demonstrated that MCI best detection can be achieved with a cut-off point of 24/25 (n = 9350, the sensitivity of 80.48% and specificity of 81.19%). AUC was 0.846 (95% CI 0.823-0.868). For MMSE, it turned out that more important cut-off was of 27/28 (n = 882, 66.34% sensitivity and specificity of 72.94%). AUC was 0.736 (95% CI 0.718-0.767)., Conclusions: MoCA test better meets the criteria for screening tests for the detection of MCI among patients over 60 years of age than MMSE.

Background: Dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is considered a major public health challenge in this decade and in the future. Early detection of AD through appropriate screening tools would be valuable approach in facing the burden of disease specifically in developing societies with insufficient resources. Selecting a screening tool which is non-expensive, non-invasive and implementable by trained primary healthcare providers is the first and probably the most important step in detecting high risk individuals. The goal of this review is to address the key issues in assessment tools in developing countries with a high level of illiteracy., Method: We set about a review on literature on the subject of cognitive function assessment among minorities, people with low or no education, and people who live in underdeveloped societies. We also reviewed the studies on validation of such tests in a new society., Results: The most popular assessment tools are more or less biased by the level of education; not all of them are useful for any type of dementia as they assess only some domains of cognitive function., Conclusion: Even though people with lower level of education have a higher rate of developing dementia, cognitive function cannot be accurately assessed because of limitations of current available tools. It is strongly suggested that special attention be paid to assess them by functional scales and activity daily living scales. For a more efficient assessment, cognitive tests can also benefit from illustrative questions, proverbs, metaphors, traditions, religious rituals and historical events.

Background: As the population ages, it is increasingly important to use effective short cognitive tests for suspected dementia. We aimed to review systematically brief cognitive tests for suspected dementia and report on their validation in different settings, to help clinicians choose rapid and appropriate tests., Methods: Electronic search for face-to-face sensitive and specific cognitive tests for people with suspected dementia, taking ≤ 20 minutes, providing quantitative psychometric data., Results: 22 tests fitted criteria. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT) had good psychometric properties in primary care. In the secondary care settings, MMSE has considerable data but lacks sensitivity. 6-Item Cognitive Impairment Test (6CIT), Brief Alzheimer's Screen, HVLT, and 7 Minute Screen have good properties for detecting dementia but need further validation. Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment are effective to detect dementia with Parkinson's disease and Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R) is useful for all dementias when shorter tests are inconclusive. Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment scale (RUDAS) is useful when literacy is low. Tests such as Test for Early Detection of Dementia, Test Your Memory, Cognitive Assessment Screening Test (CAST) and the recently developed ACE-III show promise but need validation in different settings, populations, and dementia subtypes. Validation of tests such as 6CIT, Abbreviated Mental Test is also needed for dementia screening in acute hospital settings., Conclusions: Practitioners should use tests as appropriate to the setting and individual patient. More validation of available tests is needed rather than development of new ones.

Introduction: The Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) is a brief cognitive screening instrument, which is easy to use by a healthcare worker with little training. However, the validity of this instrument has not been established in Singapore. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic performance of SPMSQ for screening dementia among patients attending outpatient cognitive assessment clinics and to assess whether the appropriate cut-off score varies by patient's age and education. A secondary aim of the study was to map the SPMSQ scores with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores., Materials and Methods: SPMSQ and MMSE were administered by a trained interviewer to 127 patients visiting outpatient cognitive assessment clinics at the Singapore General Hospital, Changi General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The geriatricians at these clinics then diagnosed these patients with dementia or no dementia (reference standard). Sensitivity and specificity of SPMSQ with different cut-off points (number of errors) were calculated and compared to the reference standard using the Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) analysis. Correlation coefficient was also calculated between MMSE and SPMSQ scores., Results: Based on the ROC analysis and a balance of sensitivity and specificity, the appropriate cut-off for SPMSQ was found to be 5 or more errors (sensitivity 78%, specificity 75%). The cut-off varied by education, but not by patient's age. There was a high correlation between SPMSQ and MMSE scores (r = 0.814, P <0.0001)., Conclusion: Despite the advantage of being a brief screening instrument for dementia, the use of SPMSQ is limited by its low sensitivity and specificity, especially among patients with less than 6 years of education.

Background: To examine the discriminant validity of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in detecting patients with cognitive impairment at higher risk for dementia at a memory clinic setting., Methods: Memory clinic patients were administered the MoCA, MMSE, and a comprehensive formal neuropsychological battery. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subtypes were dichotomized into two groups: single domain-MCI (sd-MCI) and multiple domain-MCI (md-MCI). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was used to compare the discriminatory ability of the MoCA and the MMSE., Results: Two hundred thirty patients were recruited, of which 136 (59.1%) were diagnosed with dementia, 61 (26.5%) with MCI, and 33 (14.3%) with no cognitive impairment (NCI). The majority of MCI patients had md-MCI (n = 36, 59%). The MoCA had significantly larger AUCs than the MMSE in discriminating md-MCI from the lower risk group for incident dementia (NCI and sd-MCI) [MoCA 0.92 (95% CI, 0.86-0.98) vs. MMSE 0.84 (95% CI, 0.75-0.92), p = 0.02). At their optimal cut-off points, the MoCA (19/20) remained superior to the MMSE (23/24) in detecting md-MCI [sensitivity: 0.83 vs. 0.72; specificity: 0.86 vs. 0.83; PPV: 0.79 vs. 0.72; NPV: 0.89 vs. 0.83; correctly classified: 85.1% vs. 78.7%]., Conclusion: The MoCA is superior to the MMSE in the detection of patients with cognitive impairment at higher risk for incident dementia at a memory clinic setting.

Background: Many scoring systems exist for clock drawing task variants, which are common dementia screening measures, but all have been derived from clinical samples. This study evaluates and combines errors from two published scoring systems for the Clock Drawing Test (CDT), the Lessig and Tuokko methods, in order to create a simple yet optimal scoring procedure to screen for dementia using a Canadian population-based sample., Methods: Clock-drawings from 356 participants (80 with dementia, 276 healthy controls) from the Canadian Study on Health and Aging were analyzed using logistic regression and Receiver Operating Characteristic curves to determine a new, simplified, population-based CDT scoring system. The new Jouk scoring method was then compared to other commonly used systems (e.g. Shulman, Tuokko, Watson, Wolf-Klein)., Results: The Jouk scoring system reduced the Lessig system even further to include five critical errors: missing numbers, repeated numbers, number orientation, extra marks, and number distance, and produced a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 68% with a cut-off score of one error. With regard to other traditionally used scoring methods, the Jouk procedure had one of the most balanced sensitivities/specificities when using a population-based sample., Conclusions: The results from this study improve our current state of knowledge concerning the CDT by validating the simplified scoring system proposed by Lessig and her colleagues in a more representative sample to mimic conditions a general clinician or researcher will encounter when working among a wide-ranging population and not a dementia/memory clinic. The Jouk CDT scoring system provides further evidence in support of a simple and reliable dementia-screening tool that can be used by clinicians and researchers alike.

Background/aims: The diagnostic criteria for dementia include reliable evidence of cognitive deterioration over time measured by cognitive tests. The Structured Interview for the Diagnosis of Dementia of the Alzheimer Type, Multi-infarct Dementia and Dementia of other Etiology according to DSM-III-R, DSM-IV and ICD-10 (SIDAM) is a neuropsychological instrument to determine cognitive status in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. Normative data for changes in cognitive functioning that normally occur in cognitively healthy individuals are required to interpret changes in SIDAM test scores., Methods: A sample of 1,090 cognitively healthy individuals participating in the German Study on Ageing, Cognition and Dementia in Primary Care Patients (AgeCoDe) aged 75 years and older was assessed four times at 1.5-year intervals over a period of 4.5 years using the SIDAM. Age- and education-specific reliable change indices (RCIs) accounting for probable measurement error and practice effects were computed for a 90% confidence interval., Results: Across different age and education subgroups, changes from at least 3-5 points indicated significant (i.e. reliable) changes in SIDAM test scores at the 90% confidence level., Conclusion: This study offers age- and education-specific normative data for the SIDAM based upon established RCI methods. The RCI scores provided in this study may help clinicians and researchers to interpret cognitive changes in SIDAM test scores and may contribute to the early detection and diagnosis of MCI and dementia in the elderly., (Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Introduction: This study assessed five scoring methods of the Clock-Drawing test (CDT)., Material and Methods: A total of 72 out-patients and 29 healthy controls were assessed three times. At Visit 1, diagnostic procedure and assessments were performed with the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) and Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), and the CDT and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) were done blinded by a nurse. At Visit 2, CDT and MMSE were repeated, and at Visit 3 the CDT, CGI and the GDS were repeated. The CDTs were then rated by physicians and nurses using five different methods of scoring. Receiver-operating characteristics curve analyses were used to assess the CDT's suitability as a screening tool. Correlations between the five CDTs, other scales and predictive values were calculated. The extent to which three-word recall could improve the predictive values was analysed., Results: Correlations between the CDTs and the other scales were good. The predictive values were almost identical (positive values: 93-97%; negative values: 70-74%). Three-word recall improved the values. Rates of dementia in general practice and corresponding predictive values were estimated which resulted in markedly lower positive values around 60% for a rate of dementia of 20%, and 40% for a rate of dementia of 10%., Conclusion: As predictive values were nearly identical, the shortest scoring manual (0 to 1) seems preferable., Funding: The study was partly funded by Novartis Pharma A/S., Trial Registration: Scientific Ethical Committee, 2003-2-17.

Background: The study aimed to evaluate the Cognitive Assessment Battery (CAB) in a specialist clinic setting in order to find out if it if it could be a supplement to the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and distinguish between normal aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, as well as MCI of different severities., Methods: CAB consists of six short tests covering the cognitive domains of speed/attention, episodic memory, visuospatial functions, language and executive functions. It takes about 20 minutes to carry out and provides a quick overview of the patient's cognitive profile. Three groups were compared: healthy controls (N = 41), MCI (N = 83) and mild dementia (N = 28)., Results: CAB distinguished very clearly between controls and MCI as well as MCI and dementia. On further analysis CAB also distinguished between MCI of different severities. It also showed to have good sensitivity and specificity for identifying more severe MCI., Conclusions: CAB seems to be a useful supplement to MMSE and a screening instrument for MCI and dementia with good sensitivity and specificity.

Background: The principal goal of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of three brief instruments in memory clinic attendees. Two of the instruments were based on face-to-face clinical assessment (Standardized Mini-mental State Examination and Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale), whereas the third group used proxy information from an informant (Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly). Dementia diagnosis as provided by a specialist physician (geriatrician, psychiatrist or neurologist) was used as the reference standard., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Data were collected from 204 consecutive memory clinic attendees (M = 76.90, 56% female) and their family caregivers. Comparative utility was assessed through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses., Results: One hundred and fifty-two patients (75%) were diagnosed as having dementia. Diagnostic accuracy, as indicated by the area under the ROC curve (AUC), was similar for the three instruments as follows: SMMSE (AUC = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.76, 0.87, p < 0.0001) and RUDAS (AUC = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.77, 0.88, p < 0.0001), and slightly lower for IQCODE (AUC = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.71, 0.83, p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference between the areas under the curve (χ2 = 2.57, df = 2, p = 0.28)., Conclusions: Diagnostic accuracy was similar for the three instruments, which all proved to be moderately useful tools for initial screening for cognitive impairment in the memory clinic environment. Being a proxy measure, the IQCODE had specific practical use in this context, where the patient might not be able to provide information. The RUDAS exhibited high specificity and proved to be less dependent upon cultural factors than the SMMSE, making it particularly valuable in a multicultural setting.

Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of all brief multidomain alternatives to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in the detection of dementia., Methods: A literature search, critical appraisal, and meta-analysis were conducted of robust diagnostic validity studies involving cognitive batteries. Twenty-nine distinct brief batteries were tested in 44 large-scale analyses. Twenty studies took place in specialist settings (11 in memory clinics and 9 in secondary care), ten studies were conducted in primary care, and 14 in the community., Results: In community settings with a low prevalence of dementia, short screening methods of no more than 10 minutes had an overall sensitivity of 72.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 60.4%-82.3%) and a specificity of 88.2% (95% CI = 83.0%-92.5%). The optimal individual tests were the Telephonic interview based on MSQ, Category fluency/Memory impairment screen-Telephonic interview and 6 item Cognitive Impairment Test (6-CIT), but data were limited by the absence of multiple independent confirmation for any individual test. In primary care where the prevalence of dementia is usually modest, the optimal individual tools were the Abbreviated mental test score/Mental status questionnaire (MSQ), and Prueba cognitive de leganes (PCL). Furthermore, the Abbreviated mental test score (AMTS) was superior to the MMSE for case finding, but for screening the MMSE was optimal. If length is not a major consideration, the MMSE may remain the best tool for primary care clinicians who want to rule in and rule out a diagnosis. In specialist settings where the prevalence of dementia is often high, the optimal individual tools were the DEMTECT, Montreal cognitive assessment (MOCA), Memory Alteration test, and MINI-COG. Two tools were potentially superior to the MMSE for rule in and rule out, namely the 6-CIT and MINI-COG. Only four analyses looked specifically at accuracy in early-stage dementia, and each showed at least equivalent diagnostic accuracy, suggesting these methods might be applicable to early identification., Conclusion: A large number of alternatives to the MMSE have now been validated in large samples with favorable rule-in and rule-out accuracy. Evidence to date suggests for those wishing to use brief battery tests then the original MMSE or the AMTS should be considered in primary care and either the 6-CIT or the MINI-COG should be considered in specialist settings.

Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic validity of single-domain cognitive tests for detecting dementia. These methods were defined as those that focus mainly on one domain of cognitive function such as orientation, memory, or executive function., Methods: A meta-analysis of robust studies was conducted. There were 15 categories of single-domain methods assessed in 45 analyses, including 27 performed head-to-head against the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Thirteen studies took place in community settings, 9 in primary care, and 23 in specialist settings., Results: In community settings, single-domain cognitive tests helped detect 64.2% of all dementias. In this setting, specificity (Sp) was 84.9%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 57.1%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 88.3%. This was significantly less accurate than the MMSE itself. The optimal individual method was the memory impairment screen (MIS). In primary care, the sensitivity (Se) and specificity of single-domain tests were 69.5% and 82.5%, respectively. The PPV and NPV were 36.5% and 95.8%. Considered together, these methods were less specific but equally sensitive as the MMSE when applied in primary care. Here, the most successful methods were the selective reminding test (SRT) and clock drawing test, the latter having data from independent samples. In specialist settings, single-domain methods had a Se of 76.6%, a Sp of 81.9%, a PPV 80.8%, and a NPV 74.9%. This represented almost equivalent accuracy to the MMSE. The optimal method for specialist settings (based on accuracy alone) was the memory alteration test., Conclusion: Brief single-domain methods offer diagnostic performance for detection of dementia that is surprisingly close to that offered by cognitive batteries such as the MMSE. As a method of screening or as part of a diagnostic algorithm, brief single-domain tests may be an efficient first step in identifying cognitive impairment.

The National Adult Reading Test (NART), used to estimate premorbid mental ability, involves pronunciation of irregular words. The authors demonstrate that, after controlling for age 11 IQ test scores, mean NART scores do not differ in people with and without dementia. The correlation between age 11 IQ and NART scores at about age 80 was similar in the groups with (r = 0.63, p < 0.001) and without (r = 0.60, p < 0.001) dementia. These findings validate the NART as an estimator of premorbid ability in mild to moderate dementia.

Objectives: To examine whether simple cognitive tests, when applied to cognitively intact older persons, are useful predictors of cognitive impairment 7 years later., Design: Cohort study., Setting: Durham, North Carolina; East Boston, Massachusetts; and New Haven, Connecticut, areas that are part of the National Institute on Aging Established Populations for Epidemiological Studies of the Elderly., Participants: Participants, aged 70 to 79, from three community-based studies, who were in the top third of this age group, based on physical and cognitive functional status., Measurements: New onset of cognitive impairment as defined by a score of less than 7 on the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) in 1995., Results: At 7 years, 21.8% (149 of 684 subjects) scored lower than 7 on the SPMSQ. Using multivariate logistic regression, three baseline (1988) cognitive tests predicted impairment in 1995. These included two simple tests of delayed recall-the ability to remember up to six items from a short story and up to 18 words from recall of Boston Naming Test items. For each story item missed, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for cognitive impairment was 1.44 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16-1.78, P <.001). For each missed item from the word list, the AOR was 1.20 (95% CI = 1.09-1.31, P <.001). The Delayed Recognition Span, which assesses nonverbal memory, also predicted cognitive impairment, albeit less strongly (odds ratio = 1.06 per each missed answer, 95% CI = 1.003-1.13, P =.04)., Conclusions: This study identifies measures of delayed recall and recognition as significant early predictors of subsequent cognitive decline in high-functioning older persons. Future efforts to identify those at greatest risk of cognitive impairment may benefit by including these measures.

Objectives: The Cambridge Contextual Reading Test (CCRT), which sets the NART words within semantic and syntactic context, has been shown to yield a higher prediction of premorbid intelligence than the National Adult Reading Test (NART) for patients with mild/moderate dementia (Beardsall & Huppert, 1994). This study validates and standardizes the CCRT in a sample of healthy older persons., Design: The CCRT was validated against WAIS-R verbal IQ (VIQ) and the Mill Hill Vocabulary Test (MHVT). Regression equations were used to compare predictions of WAIS-R VIQ from CCRT and demographic variables. A conversion table was constructed for predicted VIQ from the equation derived from CCRT scores., Methods: Seventy-three healthy British older persons aged over 70 years completed the CCRT, NART, WAIS-R verbal subtests and MHVT., Results: The benefit of context was greatest for those with lowest word reading ability. The CCRT was satisfactorily correlated with VIQ and the MHVT. Whereas the regression equation predicting VIQ using CCRT alone accounted for 61 per cent of the variance, 68 per cent was accounted for when demographic variables were included., Conclusions: The CCRT is a valid measure of verbal ability for older persons. When accurate information about years of full-time education is available, prediction of verbal intelligence should be made combining CCRT with demographic variables. Otherwise, prediction should be made using CCRT alone. The CCRT may be used in preference to NART in neuropsychological batteries with older persons provided caution is exercised when language difficulties are indicated.

Primary degenerative dementia (Alzheimer's disease) is characterized by intellectual decline with impairment of memory, judgment, and abstract thinking. Also common are personality changes and disturbances of higher cortical function such as aphasia, apraxia, and agnosia. Standardized brief cognitive tests are useful for evaluating mental status, which is often limited by short attention span, distractibility, fatigability, mental retardation, illiteracy, and/or confusion. Data from 225 institutionalized patients support the mini-object test (MOT) as a valid, reliable, cost-effective, portable screening procedure for confirming the clinical diagnosis of aphasia-apraxia-agnosia associated with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. Further studies are needed to demonstrate the diagnostic value of the MOT in other dementing disorders.

The Hasegawa Dementia Scale is well established in Japan as a screening tool for dementia in older people. A study was done on elderly Chinese to determine whether or not the scale was similarly effective. Results confirm the validity and reliability of the Hasegawa Dementia Scale.