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Updated: Aug 22, 2026
A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: January 11, 2020
[Disorder profile in the Mini-Mental State Examination in patients with mild cognitive impairment]
L E Fontán-Scheitler1, J Lorenzo-Otero, A Silveira-Brussain
1Departamento de Neuropsicología, Instituto de Neurología, Hospital de Clínicas Dr. Manuel Quintela, Montevideo, Uruguay. lfontan@mednet.org.uy
Introduction:
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition that can act as a risk factor for the development of dementia.
Aims:
Our objective was to determine the profile of performance in the MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) in patients with MCI.
Patients And Methods:
We studied the performance in the MMSE of 117 patients who satisfied the diagnostic criteria for MCI. The means and standard deviations (SD) were calculated and the sample was stratified according to the total score obtained in the MMSE; performance in each area of the MMSE was analysed for each group.
Results:
Mean performance in the MMSE was 27.87, with a range of 23 to 30, and a SD of 1.75. The most compromised areas were memory and attention; there were mild alterations in temporal orientation. The ability to copy figures was seen to be affected in the groups with the best performances and this was maintained and increased slightly in the most affected levels.
Conclusions:
The mean value obtained is very similar to that of the most recent studies and is above the cut score for the MMSE for schooled populations (25/26). Our study reaffirms the idea that the MMSE is not sensitive to the early stages of impairment. The most strongly involved areas are memory and attention. We discuss the visual-praxis disorder that was found, and assigned to the structure of the MMSE and the bias inherent in the sample, with no confirmable incidence of schooling.
Insights
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients show deficits in memory and attention on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The MMSE may not detect early-stage impairment, indicating a need for more sensitive tools for mild cognitive impairment.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cognitive Science
- Gerontology
Context:
- Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a significant risk factor for dementia.
- Understanding MCI progression is crucial for early intervention and dementia prevention strategies.
Purpose:
- To characterize Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) performance in individuals diagnosed with MCI.
- To identify specific cognitive domains most affected in early-stage MCI.
Summary:
- A study of 117 MCI patients revealed an average MMSE score of 27.87 (SD 1.75), with memory and attention being the most impaired domains.
- Mild temporal orientation deficits were observed. Notably, figure-copying ability was affected even in higher-scoring MCI groups, suggesting subtle visual-spatial challenges.
- The findings suggest the MMSE may lack sensitivity for detecting early-stage MCI, particularly concerning visual-praxis skills.
Impact:
- Reaffirms the MMSE's limitations in identifying subtle cognitive changes in early MCI.
- Highlights memory and attention as key areas for monitoring MCI progression.
- Suggests potential biases in MMSE interpretation related to sample characteristics and task design, necessitating further investigation into visual-praxis assessment in MCI.
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