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. 2018 Mar 18;20(9):1399–1421. doi: 10.1093/europace/euy046

Table 4.

Comparison of commonly used brief cognitive assessment tools and a list of more complex cognitive assessments

Cognitive domains assessed
Cognitive assessment tool Number of items Average completion time in elderly (≥65 years) patients, minutes Equipment required Memory
 Visuospatial/ constructional praxis Frontal/ executive Orientation Attention/ calculation Language Informant component Range of scoresa
Semantic STM Remote Cut-off indicating cognitive impairmentb
AMT435 4 1 Verbal − − + − − + − − − 0–4a
CDT36 3 2 Pen and paper + − − ++ + − + − − 0–3a
SIS37 6 2 Verbal − + − − − + − − −

  • 0–6a

  • ≤337,b ≤438,b
Mini-Cog39 6 3 Pen and paper + + − ++ + − + − −

  • 0–5a

  • <4b
AMT35 10 3 Verbal + + + − − ++ ++ − −

  • 0–10a

  • <8b
MIS40 4 4 Verbal − + − − − − − − −

  • 0–8a

  • ≤4b
6CIT41 6 5 Verbal − ++ − − − ++ ++ − −

  • 0–28a

  • ≥8b
GPCOG42 9 5–6 Pen and paper + ++ − ++ + + + − +

  • 0–9a

  • 0–4b; 5–8 proceed with InQ
MMSE43,c 30 8 Pen, paper, and watch − + − + − +++ ++ ++ −

  • 0–30a

  • <24b (≤23 if ≤12 years education;

  • ≤25 if higher education)
MOCA44 30 10 Pen and paper − ++ − +++ ++ +++ +++ +++ −

  • 0–30a

  • <26b; add 1 point if ≤12 years education
OCS45 10 tasks 15–20 Pen and paper + +++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ − −1 to 111a
ACE46 100 20 Pen, paper, watch and specific pictures ++ +++ ++ +++ ++ +++ ++ +++ − <87b
More complex and extended cognitive examinationsd
 3MS47: extension of MMSE including verbal fluency and further memory testing; overall score 0–100; score <78 for those aged ≥65 years
 CAMCOG48: 80 min, structured history taking from patient and informant, structured examination and mental state assessment
 CASI49: questions form MMS and 3MS; scored 0–100 takes 15–20 min to complete
 IQCODE50: 16-item informant questionnaire comparing patient cognition now to 10-years ago; each rated on five-point Likert scale

Adapted from Woodford and George.51

−, not specifically tested; +, minimal assessment; ++, moderate assessment; +++, relatively extensive assessment; 3MS, Modified Mini Mental Status Examination; 6CIT, 6-item Cognitive Impairment Test; ACE, Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination; AMT, Abbreviated Mental Test; CAMCOG, Cambridge Cognitive Examination; CASI, Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument; CDT, Clock-Drawing Test; GPCOG, general practitioner assessment of cognition; InQ, Informant Questionnaire; IQCODE, Informant Questionnaire for Cognitive Decline in the Elderly; MIS, Memory Impairment Screen; MMSE, Mini Mental State Examination; MOCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment; OCS, Oxford Cognitive Screen; SIS, Six-Item Screener; STM, short-term memory.

a

Range of scores.

b

Cut-off indicating cognitive impairment.

c

Standardized MMSE is also available.

d

Not an exhaustive list.