title: Screening for Mild Cognitive Impairment Using the Dementia Rating Scale-2.
abstract: This study examined the sensitivity and specificity of the Dementia Rating Scale-2 (DRS-2) to distinguish individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from both patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy controls (HCs). A total of 50 HCs, 98 patients with MCI, and 49 patients with AD completed a neurological examination and battery of neuropsychological tests that included the DRS-2. Across almost all subscales of the DRS-2, patients with AD scored significantly worse than patients with MCI who in turn performed more poorly than the HCs. The only exception was the construction subscale where no significant difference was found between patients with MCI and the HCs. At a cutoff of 136, the sensitivity was 71% and specificity was 86% for distinguishing between patients with MCI and the HCs. Sensitivity was 82% and specificity was 78% for distinguishing between patients with MCI and patients with AD (cutoff score <124). For distinguishing between patients (with MCI and AD) and the HCs, sensitivity was 81% and specificity was 86% at a cutoff of 136. Our findings suggest the DRS-2 is a brief, easily administered cognitive test that appears to be useful in assisting with the detection of MCI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Beth A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Springate
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Department of Psychiatry, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA gtremont@lifespan.org.
authors.forename: Geoffrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tremont
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papandonatos
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Department of Neurology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Brian R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ott
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000073216:Mental Status and Dementia Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; cognition; dementia; mild cognitive impairment; screening instruments