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Early Cognitive Impairment: Role of Clock Drawing Test.
C Mittal1, S P Gorthi2, S Rohatgi3
1Clinical Research Department, Fortis Escorts Hospital, JLN Marg, Jaipur.
Medical Journal, Armed Forces India
|July 2, 2016
Summary
The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) combined with the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) effectively identifies cognitive and executive dysfunction. This combination significantly improves detection rates compared to MMSE alone in neurological patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuropsychology
- Cognitive Assessment
Background:
- The Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) has limitations in detecting severe executive dysfunction.
- Comprehensive neuropsychological tests for executive function are often time-consuming.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the Clock Drawing Test (CDT) as a simple tool for identifying cognitive dysfunction in neurological disorders.
- To assess the utility of CDT as an adjunct to MMSE for detecting executive dysfunction in outpatient settings.
Main Methods:
- 81 patients with neurological disorders and 81 controls were assessed.
- All subjects underwent the MMSE and the CDT, which includes an executive control-sensitive task (CDT 1) and a non-sensitive copying task (CDT 2).
Main Results:
- CDT 1, CDT 2, and MMSE all identified cognitive and executive function deficits compared to controls (p < 0.001).
- CDT scores showed a strong correlation with the severity of executive function deficits.
- The combination of CDT and MMSE detected 95% of abnormal cases, versus 47% for MMSE alone.
Conclusions:
- The CDT, particularly when used with the MMSE, is valuable for detecting executive control and cognitive deficits.
- CDT 1 specifically assesses executive control, while CDT 2 evaluates posterior cortical function.
