Further Validation of the Memory Orientation Screening Test (MOST): A 5-minute Screening Test for Dementia in Primary Care Practice

The purpose of this study is to apply a recently developed screening test for dementia, the Memory Orientation Screening Test (MOST) to two additional groups. Group one is composed of 150 elders who do not have dementia and are residing in the community so that we can determine what is a "normal" MOST score. These subjects will also be individually administered a one-hour battery composed of other commonly used tests of memory and information processing. Group two is composed of 150 elders who are administered the MOST by a nurse as part of their regular visit to the primary care doctor's office, and their scores will be compared against a rating of their cognitive ability made independently by the doctor or another nurse. Their scores will also be compared with a list of their medical problems and medications. Our hypothesis for the first group is that the MOST scores will be higher in the normal group than in the previous clinical groups and that MOST scores will correlate significantly with other neurocognitive tests. Our hypothesis for the second group is that the MOST can be administered quickly and easily by briefly trained nurses, that it will compare highly with doctor opinions, and that patients with known medical conditions related to dementia, such as hypertension or diabetes, will have lower MOST scores than patients in better health.