[The photo test].

INTRODUCTION: The Memory Impairment Screen (MIS) is very useful in the detection of dementia but one of its important shortcomings is that it only evaluates memory and cannot be applied to illiterate subjects. AIM: Our aim was to assess the value of the Photo Test (PT), a new test that combines facilitated memory, denomination and verbal fluency tasks. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Study phase I of the diagnostic test evaluation in which we assessed the sociodemographic variables and results in the Minimental (MMSE), the SPMSQ (Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire), the clock test (CT) and the PT in 60 subjects above the age of 65 years (30 with mild dementia and 30 without dementia). STATISTICAL ANALYSES: comparison of sociodemographic variables and test results between groups, determination of parameters that are useful in diagnosis and areas below the ROC curve with their respective 95% confidence intervals, linear regression study with 'step-by-step' strategy.
RESULTS: There were no differences between groups as regards age, sex, level of schooling or degree of literacy. The PT has a sensitivity of 0.93 (0.76-0.99) and a specificity of 0.8 (0.7-0.9), similar or superior to those of the SPMSQ, MMSE and CT, and its results are not influenced by the level of schooling or literacy.
CONCLUSIONS: The psychometric and applicability characteristics of the PT make it an excellent instrument for dementia screening.