Edward Helmes1. 1. Department of Psychology, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia. edward.helmes@jcu.edu.au
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Drawing tests have a long history in neuropsychological assessment. A popular geometric figure has been the two intersecting pentagons from the Bender Gestalt test. Reproducing the pentagons is the main visuospatial task on the original Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), remaining in use in revised versions of that widely used screening test. Scoring criteria on the MMSE are binary: perfect reproduction of the figure is required, while the Modified MMSE of Teng and Chui (1987) uses a more refined ten-point scoring for the elements of the figure. METHODS: Here, I report on the use of pentagon drawing from 8,702 older community-dwelling Canadians (59.3% female), with a mean age of 75.5 years (SD = 6.99) and 10.1 years of education (SD = 3.89). Mean scores for the whole sample are reported, as well as for subsamples who underwent a full clinical assessment and were diagnosed as cognitively intact, with dementia, or cognitively impaired, but without dementia. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the utility of pentagon drawing as a diagnostic tool to diagnose cognitive impairment. RESULTS: Binary scoring was less effective in discriminating groups than the ten-point system and showed weaker properties by other criteria. CONCLUSIONS: The discussion focuses on the role of simple, non-verbal tasks in the cognitive screening of older adults.
BACKGROUND: Drawing tests have a long history in neuropsychological assessment. A popular geometric figure has been the two intersecting pentagons from the Bender Gestalt test. Reproducing the pentagons is the main visuospatial task on the original Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), remaining in use in revised versions of that widely used screening test. Scoring criteria on the MMSE are binary: perfect reproduction of the figure is required, while the Modified MMSE of Teng and Chui (1987) uses a more refined ten-point scoring for the elements of the figure. METHODS: Here, I report on the use of pentagon drawing from 8,702 older community-dwelling Canadians (59.3% female), with a mean age of 75.5 years (SD = 6.99) and 10.1 years of education (SD = 3.89). Mean scores for the whole sample are reported, as well as for subsamples who underwent a full clinical assessment and were diagnosed as cognitively intact, with dementia, or cognitively impaired, but without dementia. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the utility of pentagon drawing as a diagnostic tool to diagnose cognitive impairment. RESULTS: Binary scoring was less effective in discriminating groups than the ten-point system and showed weaker properties by other criteria. CONCLUSIONS: The discussion focuses on the role of simple, non-verbal tasks in the cognitive screening of older adults.
Authors: Leonie J M Vergouw; Mariet Salomé; Anke G Kerklaan; Christiaan Kies; Gerwin Roks; Esther van den Berg; Frank Jan de Jong Journal: Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord Date: 2018-07-11 Impact factor: 2.959
Authors: Mattis Jalakas; Sebastian Palmqvist; Sara Hall; Daniel Svärd; Olof Lindberg; Joana B Pereira; Danielle van Westen; Oskar Hansson Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2019-10-28 Impact factor: 4.379