Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T07:08:40.879Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Comparison of the Sensitivity of Three Instruments for the Detection of Cognitive Decline in Elderly Living at Home

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

A. Little ,
D. Hemsley ,
K. Bergmann ,
J. Volans  and
R. Levy
A. Little*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology
D. Hemsley
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology
K. Bergmann
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology
J. Volans
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry and Bethlem-Maudsley Hospitals
R. Levy
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry and Bethlem-Maudsley Hospitals
*
Department of Clinical Psychology, Camberwell Health Authority, Juniper Unit, Dulwich North Hospital, London SE22
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We followed up 181 elderly living at home over 2 years. The changes shown on a brief dementia rating scale (the Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS)) were monitored. At follow-up, subjects were classified as organic or non-organic by three potential screening tools-a screening questionnaire (the Psychogeriatric Assessment Schedule), a psychometric test (the Inglis' Paired Associate Learning Test) and a dementia scale (the AMTS). The value of these as screening tools for community samples was considered as a function of their sensitivity to cognitive decline. The classifications made by each were significantly related to previous cognitive change, but all were conservative, missing many subjects who had declined. Of the three, the AMTS appeared the most useful as a predictor of previous change on the AMTS. It remains to be seen whether it is equally useful with different samples and with different measures of outcome.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 150 , Issue 6 , June 1987 , pp. 808 - 814
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bergmann, K. (1979) How to keep the family supportive. Geriatric Medicine, 9, 53–57.Google Scholar
Bergmann, K. Kay, D. W. K. & Foster, E. M. (1971) A follow-up study of randomly selected community residents to assess the effects of chronic brain syndrome and cerebrovascular disease. In Psychiatry Part II (International Congress Series No. 274). Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica.Google Scholar
Bergmann, K. & Eastham, E. H. (1974) Psychogeriatric ascertainment and assessment for treatment in acute medical ward setting. Age & Ageing, 3, 174–188.Google Scholar
Bergmann, K. Gaber, L. B. & Foster, E. M. (1975) Development of an instrument for early ascertainment of psychiatric disorder in elderly community residents: a pilot study. In Geronto-psychiatrie, 4, Janssen Symposen (ed. von Degkwitz, R., Radebold, H. & Schulte, P. W.). Dusseldorf: Janssen.Google Scholar
Proctor, S. & Prudham, D. (1979) Symptom profiles in hospital and community resident elderly persons with dementia. In Bayer Symposium VI: Brain Function in Old Age. Springer-Verlag.Google Scholar
Blessed, G. B., Tomlinson, B. E. & Roth, M. (1968) The association between quantitative measures of dementia and of degenerative changes in the cerebral grey matter of elderly subjects. British Journal of Psychiatry, 114, 797–811.Google Scholar
Brocklehurst, J. C, Carty, M. H., Leemino, J. T. & Robinson, J. M. (1978) Medical screening of old people accepted for residential care. Lancet, 11, 141–143.Google Scholar
Cooper, B. & Bickel, H. (1984) Psychological screening and the detection of dementing disorders in old age: a review. Psychological Medicine, 14, 81–95.Google Scholar
Cooper, B. & Schwarz, R. (1982) Psychiatric case-identification in an elderly urban population. Social Psychiatry, 17, 43–52.Google Scholar
Gilhooly, M. L. M. (1984) The social dimensions of senile dementia. In Psychological Approaches to the Care of the Elderly (eds Hanley, I. & Hodge, J.). New York: Groom Helm.Google Scholar
Goldberg, D. P. (1972) The Detection of Psychiatric Illness by Questionnaire (Maudsley Monographs 21). London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Gurland, B., Kuriansky, J., Sharps, L., Simon, R., stiller, F. & Birkett, P. (1977–1978). The Comprehensive Assessment and Referral Evaluation (CARE) – rationale, development and reliability. International Journal of Ageing & Human Development, 8, 8–42.Google Scholar
Gurland, , Dean, L. L., Copeland, J., Gurland, R. & Golden, R. (1982) Criteria for the diagnosis of dementia in the community elderly. Gerontologist, 22, 180–186.Google Scholar
Golden, R. R., Teresi, J. A. & Challop, J. (1984) The SHORT-CARE: an efficient instrument for the assessment of depression, dementia and disability. Journal of Gerontology, 39, 166–169.Google Scholar
Haolund, R. M. J. & Schuckitt, M. A. (1976) A clinical comparison of tests of organicity in elderly patients. Journal of Gerontology, 31, 654–659.Google Scholar
Henderson, A. S. & Huppert, F. A. (1984) The problem of mild dementia. Psychological Medicine, 14, 5–11.Google Scholar
Henderson, A. S. & Kay, D. W. K. (1984) The epidemiology of mental disorders in the aged. In Handbook of Studies on Psychiatry and Old Age (eds Kay, D. & Burrows, G.). Amsterdam: Elsevier.Google Scholar
Hodkinson, H. M. (1972) Evaluation of a mental test score for assessment of mental impairment in the elderly. Age & Ageing, 1, 233–238.Google Scholar
Inglis, J. (1958) Relationships Between Learning and Other Cognitive Functions: an Investigation with Especial Reference to ‘Memory Disorders’ in Elderly Psychiatric Patients. PhD thesis. University of London.Google Scholar
Inglis, J. (1959) Learning, retention and conceptual usage in elderly patients with memory disorder. Journal of Mental Science, 105, 210–215.Google Scholar
Irving, G., Robinson, R. A. & McAdam, W. (1970) The validity of some cognitive tests in the diagnosis of dementia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 117, 149–156.Google Scholar
Isaacs, B. (1962) A preliminary evaluation of a paired-associate verbal learning test in geriatric practice. Gerontologica Clinica, 4, 43–55.Google Scholar
Kay, D. W. K. (1977) The epidemiology and identification of brain deficit in the elderly. In Cognition and Emotional Disturbance in the Elderly (eds Eisdorfer, C. & Friedel, R. O.). Chicago: Year Book Medical Publishers.Google Scholar
Kay, D. W. K. Beamish, P. & Roth, M. (1964) Old age mental disorders in Newcastle-upon-Tyne – Part I: A study of prevalence. British Journal of Psychiatry, 110, 146–158.Google Scholar
Kay, D. W. K. & Bergmann, K. (1980) The epidemiology of mental disorders in the community. In Handbook of Mental Health and Ageing (eds Birren, J. & Sloane, R.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Kral, V. A. (1962) Senerscent forgetfulness: benign and malignant. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 86, 257–260.Google ScholarPubMed
Kuriansky, J., Gurland, B. & Cowan, D. (1976) The usefulness of a psychological test battery. International Journal of Ageing & Human Development, 7, 331–342.Google Scholar
Meehl, H. & Rosen, A. (1955) Antecedent probability and the efficiency of psychometric signs, patterns or cutting score. Psychological Bulletin, 52, 194–216.Google Scholar
Milne, J. S., Maule, M. M., Cormack, S. & Williamson, J. (1972) The design and testing of a questionnaire and examination to assess physical and mental health in older people using a staff nurse as the observer. Journal of Chronic Diseases, 25, 385–405.Google Scholar
Pattie, A. (1981) A survey version of the Clifton Assessment Procedures for the Elderly. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 20, 173–178.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Payne, R. W. & Jones, H. G. (1957) Statistics for the investigation of individual cases. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 13, 115–121.Google Scholar
Perry, E. K., Tomlinson, B. E., Blessed, G., Bergmann, K., Gibson, P. H. & Perry, R. H. (1978) Correlation of chalinergic abnormalities with senile plaques and mental scores in senile dementia. British Medical Journal, 11, 1457–1459.Google Scholar
Quershi, K. N. & Hodkinson, H. M. (1974) Evaluation of a ten-question mental test in the institutionalised elderly. Age & Ageing, 3, 152–157.Google Scholar
Shapiro, M. B., Post, F., Lofving, B. & Inglis, J. (1956) Memory function' in psychiatric patients over 60: some methodological and diagnostic implications. Journal of Mental Science, 102, 233–246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walton, D. (1958) The diagnostic and predictive accuracy of the Wechsler Memory Scale in psychiatric patients over 65. Journal of Mental Science, 104, 1111–1118.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Whitehead, A. (1971) An Investigation of Learning in Elderly Psychatric Patients. PhD thesis: University of London.Google Scholar
Whitehead, A. (1976) The prediction of outcome in elderly psychiatric patients. Psychological Medicine, 6, 469–479.Google Scholar
Whitehead, A. Hunt, A. (1982) Elderly psychiatric patients: a five-year prospective study. Psychological Medicine, 12, 149–157.Google Scholar
Williams, E. I., Bennett, F., Nixon, J. V., Nicholson, M. R. & Gabert, J. (1972) Sociomedical study of patients over 65 in general practice. British Medical Journal, 2, 445–448.Google Scholar
Williamson, J., Stokoe, I. H., Gray, S., Fisher, M., Smith, A., McGhee, E. & Stephenson, E. (1964) Old people at home: their unreported needs. Lancet, 1, 1117–1120.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.