A new screening test for dementia.

The purpose of this study is to develop a new screening test for detecting the demented elderly in the early stage in communities. The test is easy to apply for consultation, guidance and care and is capable of administering differential diagnoses. Based on the 9 dementia rating scales used in Japan, Europe and the U.S., a new test was completed after investigating and modifying the design 5 times. The test consists of 20 items. This test was given to 203 subjects (59 males and 144 females) including normal elderly as well as those suspected of suffering from dementia. The internal consistency, reliability and validity were studied using clinical diagnoses (diagnostic criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (DSM-III) and Karasawa's Criteria for Judging Senility), Hasegawa's Dementia Rating Scale and Mental Status Questionnaire (MSQ) as external criteria. The present test was confirmed to have sufficient effectiveness as the screening test for dementia.