Abstract
Objective
In recent years, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) has been widely used and has been proposed for cognitive decline screening in the framework of a systematic geriatric evaluation in health centers. The aim of the present longitudinal study was to identify the potential determinants of MMSE score and its evolution over a 4-year period in a population aged over sixty years with good general health without dementia and consulting for a health check-up.
Design
Longitudinal study.
Setting
The preventive medical center (CMP) in Nancy.
Participants
687 subjects over 60 years of age (mean age 65.6 ± 5.07 years) were included from the Senior health examination study.
Measurements
All subjects underwent 2 visits over a period of 4 years. MMSE measurement and a self-administered questionnaire of emotional and psychological state were evaluated at baseline and at the follow-up visit.
Results
The major components of total variance of baseline MMSE were represented by education level, practice of regular physical activity, nervousness and despair. Multivariate analysis identified 3 variables at baseline visit that independently predicted annual changes in MMSE: MMSE score, education level and “Difficulty in social relations” (r= −0.222, 0.154 and −0.255 respectively).
Conclusions
Education level and several psychological factors may influence MMSE score and its evolution over time in community-dwelling subjects aged over 60 years without dementia. In these subjects, a low MMSE score does not predict cognitive decline over a period of 4 years. Therefore, the reliability of MMSE in this type of population is questionable.
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Watfa, G., Husson, N., Buatois, S. et al. Study of mini-mental state exam evolution in community-dwelling subjects aged over 60 years without dementia. J Nutr Health Aging 15, 901–904 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-011-0367-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-011-0367-z