Cognitive screening instruments in neuropsychiatry: a report of the Committee on Research of the American Neuropsychiatric Association

A 1994 survey by the Research Committee of the American Neuropsychiatric Association revealed that 58% of respondents employed formal assessment of cognitive status; the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and neuropsychological testing were the commonest techniques. Literature review on common cognitive screening instruments found that the MMSE has widespread popularity, ease of use, and a large body of research demonstrating its sensitivity to common neuropsychiatric disorders. The Committee recommends that clinicians who employ the MMSE 1) use it as a minimum screening for cognitive dysfunction; 2) employ age- and education-normative corrections; and 3) supplement it with specific measures of spatial functions, delayed memory, and executive abilities. The Modified MMSE and the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination also show promise as screening tools.