A score of 25 or higher is classed as normal. If the score is below 24, the result is usually considered to be abnormal, indicating possible cognitive impairment.
Scores on the MMSE range from 0 to 30, with scores of 26 or higher being traditionally considered normal. 1 Scores less than 9 generally indicate severe impairment, while scores between 10 and 20 indicate moderate dementia. People with early stage Alzheimer's disease tend to score in the 19 to 24 range.
A score of 30 is a very low score, a performance similar to the lowest 2% of all candidates globally. A score of 50 marks a performance better than or equal to 50% of all candidates. A score of 70 marks a performance better or equal to 98% of all candidates.
The scores are generally grouped as follows: 25-30 points: normal cognition. 21-24 points: mild dementia. 10-20 points: moderate dementia. 9 points or lower: severe dementia.
According to the frequently asked questions section of the MoCA website, the following result ranges may indicate cognitive impairment: 18–25 points: Mild cognitive impairment. 10–17 points: Moderate cognitive impairment. Fewer than 10 points: Severe cognitive impairment.
Introduction: The five-word test (5WT) is a serial verbal memory test with semantic cuing. It is proposed to rapidly evaluate memory of aging people and has previously shown its sensitivity and its specificity in identifying patients with AD.
What is the average cognitive score? The average cognitive Scaled Score is 250, which translates to a raw score of 20. This average score was established during assessment development, using what's called a “Reference Group.” That group, on average, scored 19.8 points out of a possible 50, which translates to 250.
The cutoff point designated by the MoCA-BR author is 25/26, indicating that points lower than 26 are probably MCI or dementia cases.
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the stage between the expected decline in memory and thinking that happens with age and the more serious decline of dementia. MCI may include problems with memory, language or judgment.
Scores below 5 are below average. Scores above 5 are above average.
Level 5: Learning New Activity
A score between 5.0 and 5.8 means that cognitive impairment is mild. They can still function well on their own and learn new things. At the lower range of this level, having weekly check-ins from a loved one or from other community support services can be useful.
The Mini-Cog test.
A third test, known as the Mini-Cog, takes 2 to 4 minutes to administer and involves asking patients to recall three words after drawing a picture of a clock. If a patient shows no difficulties recalling the words, it is inferred that he or she does not have dementia.
Background: The seven minute screen (7MS) is a compilation of the temporal orientation test, enhanced cued recall, clock drawing, and verbal fluency. It has been shown to be useful for detecting Alzheimer's disease in a population of patients with memory complaints.
Dementia is more common in people over the age of 65, but in some cases, it can also affect people in their 30s, 40s, or 50s. With treatment and early diagnosis, you may be able to slow down the progression of dementia and maintain mental function for a longer period of time.
Dementia is typically diagnosed when acquired cognitive impairment has become severe enough to compromise social and/or occupational functioning. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a state intermediate between normal cognition and dementia, with essentially preserved functional abilities.
“Cognitive decline may begin after midlife, but most often occurs at higher ages (70 or higher).” (Aartsen, et al., 2002) “… relatively little decline in performance occurs until people are about 50 years old.” (Albert & Heaton, 1988).
The main distinctions between mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia are that in the latter, more than one cognitive domain is involved and substantial interference with daily life is evident. The diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia is based mainly on the history and cognitive examination.
What do poor and good scores on a cognitive test mean? Poor (low) scores provide more information than good (high) scores. A very low score usually means there's some brain impairment. But a good score doesn't necessarily mean there's no brain impairment. There still could be brain functioning issues.
The grading scale is:
21-24 points = mild cognitive impairment. 10-20 points = moderate cognitive impairment. 0-9 points = severe cognitive impairment.
Dementia or severe cognitive impairment (SCI): CI that is severe enough to limit function, usually defined as social or occupational function. In its severe forms, a person with dementia/SCI may not be able to recognize people, use language, or execute purposeful movements.
Using the nine-point scale, the highest possible score on the Need for Cognition Scale is 72 (18 items multiplied by 4 points each) and the lowest possible score is -72. The Need for Cognition Scale can be given either electronically or in paper-and-pencil form.
Mini-Cog - The Mini-Cog is a 3-minute test consisting of a recall test for memory and a scored clock-drawing test. It can be used effectively after brief training and results are evaluated by a health provider to determine if a full-diagnostic assessment is needed.
The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is widely used and reliable in detecting Alzheimer's disease, available since 1975. 1 Taking about 10 minutes to complete, the MMSE measures aspects of cognition that include orientation, word recall, attention and calculation, language abilities, and visual construction.