Detecting Subclinical Change in Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults: Part I: Explication of the Method

This research reports on the practicality of performing repeated measures of cognitive functioning in older adults. The detection of acute or subacute changes in cognitive functioning in the clinical setting could be facilitated by the development of an objective screening tool. Such a tool would not depend on the observation of symptoms only in pathological states, but rather, would depend on monitoring the cognitive functioning of patients over time. These repeated assessments allow us to define the magnitude of normal fluctuations in performance, thereby allowing us to define the magnitude of change in performance that represents a significant decrement or improvement in functioning. The findings reveal that routine monitoring of cognitive performance could allow identification of acute or subacute cognitive change in older adults.