Abbreviated Mental Test
The Abbreviated Mental Test is a very simple screening test for cognitive function.
Mini-Mental State Examination
This questionnaire is the Cantonese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE) and is a test of global cognitive function, which includes assessment of orientation, attention, calculation, language and short-term memory. The CMMSE has been validated locally. The education-adjusted cut-off scores for diagnosis of dementia are 18 or below for illiterate subjects, 20 or below for those with 1-2 years of schooling and 22 or below for those with more than 2 years of schooling.
Montreal Cognitive Assessment
The Montreal cognitive assessment (MOCA) is another test used to assess cognitive function. Patients who have a score of less than 23 but greater than or equal to 20 have mild cognitive impairment. Those with a MOCA score less than 20 are classified as having dementia.
Geriatric Depression Scale
A geriatric depression score above 8 is suggestive of depression but this test should never replace formal history taking.