Due to the longevity of the population, the presence of Alzheimer’s and other dementias has increased significantly, so it is necessary to have evaluation tools that, in a simple and timely manner, are able to detect the existence of these conditions. The state exam is one of the most widely used for this purpose.
Early detection of this disease, not only by specialists, but also by primary care physicians, is critical to establishing guidelines and treatments that improve its progression, especially since about 70% of cases are not properly identified.
- The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) evaluates cognitive changes to detect possible cases of dementia.
- Is a screening tool.
- That is.
- Performs a first screening that should always be supplemented with a more comprehensive assessment in case of suspicion.
- Individual scores.
- It is possible to distinguish between normal cognitive functioning.
- Mild.
- Moderate and severe dementia.
It is necessary to take into account the existence of mild, mild, mild and frequent cognitive impairment in the elderly, the main difference between this condition and dementia is that in the first case only memory is affected, while in the second, the deterioration is multiple and impairs the ability to develop in daily life.
To reflect this reality, the Mini Mental State Examination evaluates, through your questions, the different cognitive domains that may be impaired, before starting it is explained to the person that certain questions will be asked and then asked to perform certain tasks. .
After making sure you have the glasses or hearing aids to alleviate sensory deficits, we can get started.
With this part of the test we will try to measure the retention capacity of the individual, for this we explain that we will say three words, that we must repeat later and that we must memorize because we will ask them later.
The person is asked to repeat the words: “Currency, horse, apple?And we give you a point for every correct repetition.
In this section, the individual is asked if he remembers the three words we uttered earlier in the correction section. A point is awarded for each word memorized regardless of order.
Depending on the performance of each part of the test, the individual receives grades that indicate whether they have a certain level of dementia. As we’ve already seen, this hotfix is relatively simple and quick to implement.
It is ideal as a test scan, but it will always be necessary to complement the diagnosis with a more complete evaluation, however, its simplicity and discriminatory ability make it one of the most widely used instruments in cognitive evaluation and dementia detection.