The Mini‐Cog as a screen for dementia: validation in a population‐based sample
S Borson, JM Scanlan, P Chen…�- Journal of the American�…, 2003 - Wiley Online Library
S Borson, JM Scanlan, P Chen, M Ganguli
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2003•Wiley Online LibraryObjectives: To test the Mini‐Cog, a brief cognitive screening test, in an epidemiological study
of dementia in older Americans. Design: A population‐based post hoc examination of the
sensitivity and specificity of the Mini‐Cog for detecting dementia in an existing data set.
Setting: The Monongahela Valley in Western Pennsylvania. Participants: A random sample
of 1,119 older adults enrolled in the Monongahela Valley Independent Elders Survey
(MoVIES). Measurements: The effectiveness of the Mini‐Cog in detecting independently�…
of dementia in older Americans. Design: A population‐based post hoc examination of the
sensitivity and specificity of the Mini‐Cog for detecting dementia in an existing data set.
Setting: The Monongahela Valley in Western Pennsylvania. Participants: A random sample
of 1,119 older adults enrolled in the Monongahela Valley Independent Elders Survey
(MoVIES). Measurements: The effectiveness of the Mini‐Cog in detecting independently�…
Objectives: To test the Mini‐Cog, a brief cognitive screening test, in an epidemiological study of dementia in older Americans.
Design: A population‐based post hoc examination of the sensitivity and specificity of the Mini‐Cog for detecting dementia in an existing data set.
Setting: The Monongahela Valley in Western Pennsylvania.
Participants: A random sample of 1,119 older adults enrolled in the Monongahela Valley Independent Elders Survey (MoVIES).
Measurements: The effectiveness of the Mini‐Cog in detecting independently diagnosed dementia was compared with that of the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) and a standardized neuropsychological battery.
Results: The Mini‐Cog, scored by an algorithm as “possibly impaired” or “probably normal,” and the MMSE, at a cutpoint of 25, had similar sensitivity (76% vs 79%) and specificity (89% vs 88%) for dementia, comparable with that achieved using a conventional neuropsychological battery (75% sensitivity, 90% specificity).
Conclusion: When applied post hoc to an existing population, the Mini‐Cog was as effective in detecting dementia as longer screening and assessment instruments. Its brevity is a distinct advantage when the goal is to improve identification of older adults in a population who may be cognitively impaired. Prior evidence of good performance in a multiethnic community‐based sample further supports its validity in the ethnolinguistically diverse populations of the United States in which widely used cognitive screens often fail.
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