Patient-specific cognitive profiles in the detection of dementia subtypes: A proposal

Many physicians rely on sum score cognitive screening tests to evaluate patients for cognitive decline. Because the vast majority of cognitively impaired patients never receive more extensive testing, the results of these screening tests impact patients and their family members profoundly. No previous study has examined whether the metrics used by the popular Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Saint Louis University Mental Status tests reliably identify single-domain deficits or allow clinicians to adequately track disease progression. We compare side by side the metrics used by these three tests to highlight the differences in the ways they measure domain impairments. We then contrast the sum score approach to cognitive screening with brief domain-specific tests that use extended metrics in each domain examined. Last, we suggest that moderate-to-severe domain-specific deficits on these tests should lead physicians to anticipate specific functional problems and alert family members.