The TE4D-Cog: a new test for detecting early dementia in English-speaking populations

✍ Scribed by Rachel Mahoney; Kate Johnston; Cornelius Katona; Kate Maxmin; Gill Livingston

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 98 KB
• Volume: 20
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6230
• DOI: 10.1002/gps.1412

✦ Synopsis

Background:

The screening test usually used to detect dementia (mini mental state examination, mmse) is limited by a ceiling effect and high false positive rates, as are other similar instruments. there is therefore a need for a more sensitive and specific screening tool to aid early detection and diagnosis of dementia.

Objective:

The hypothesis of the study was that the te4d-cog would be more sensitive and specific than the mmse in detecting mild cognitive impairment in patients with ad.

Method:

The te4d (test for the early detection of dementia from depression) was adapted from its original german version for english-speaking populations. this new scale (the te4d-cog) was then administered together with the mmse and the cognitive subscale of the alzheimer's disease assessment scale (adas-cog) to 178 people with a diagnosis of alzheimer's disease and 25 cognitively intact comparators. the sensitivity and specificity in detecting dementia of the te4d-cog and the mmse were compared in those with mild dementia and those without dementia.

Results:

The te4d-cog had high sensitivity with an acceptable specificity and low false positive rate. it also had good concurrent validity, high inter-rater reliability, good internal consistency and strong predictive validity.

Conclusions:

The te4d-cog is easy to administer, short and acceptable. results are independent of age, gender and level of education. the te4d-cog may therefore be a useful alternative to the mmse as a dementia screening instrument.