Therapeutic Research

Abstract

Objectives：Three types of drawing tests（cube copying test［CCT］, interlocking pentagon test［IPT］, and clock drawing test［CDT］）that can be administered in a short period of time（approximately two minutes）during an outpatient examination were performed. The relationship between the performance on these tests and the Mini‒Mental State Examination（MMSE）score, as well as the utility of the results in estimating cognitive decline, were evaluated. Methods：In a 14‒month period between April 2017 and May 2018, the three different drawing tests and MMSE were administered on the same day at our clinic in 57 patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type（10 men aged 81‒92, 86.0±3.3 years old on average；47 women aged 73‒98, 85.9±5.8 years old on average）. Performance for each of the three drawing tests was contrasted with results from the MMSE. The final judgment on the severity of dementia was determined by contrasting the number of patients （％）who were able to correctly complete the test against the MMSE score. Results：The sensitivity of the three drawing tests varied. The number of patients who were able to correctly complete the test started to decline from high MMSE scores starting with CDT as the most sensitive, followed by CCT, while IPT was the test where only patients with severe dementia were not able to complete the drawing correctly. In reference to the MMSE score, the drawing test performances were classified into three groups, where the MMSE ranges were 23‒18 for mild dementia, 17‒11 for moderate dementia, and 10‒0 for severe dementia. Conclusions：The drawing tests used in this study could be administered together over a short period of time. The tests are useful for understanding the severity of dementia in patients, moreover families and caregivers can also look at the drawings to understand the severity of the dementia.