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The clock drawing test is a poor screen for very mild dementia
K K Powlishta1, D D Von Dras, A Stanford
1Department of Neurology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Neurology
|September 26, 2002
Summary
The clock drawing test reliably differentiates normal aging from mild dementia but is not sensitive enough for detecting very mild dementia in older adults.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Assessment
Background:
- Dementia diagnosis relies on sensitive and specific cognitive tests.
- The clock drawing test (CDT) is a widely used screening tool for cognitive impairment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the Clock Drawing Test's (CDT) performance across varying dementia severities.
- To determine if the CDT can distinguish cognitively normal individuals from those with very mild dementia.
Main Methods:
- 75 participants (cognitively normal to severe dementia) underwent CDT during initial assessments.
- Two independent raters scored CDT using six common criteria.
- Data analyzed using Spearman correlations and ANOVA.
Main Results:
- Clock drawing performance decreased significantly with increased dementia severity.
- CDT distinguished mild/moderate-severe dementia from normal/very mild dementia.
- CDT showed poor sensitivity for detecting very mild dementia, though it reliably differentiated normal aging from mild Alzheimer's disease.
Conclusions:
- The Clock Drawing Test is reliably scored and effective in differentiating normal aging from mild Alzheimer's disease.
- The CDT is not a suitable screening instrument for identifying very mild dementia.
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