Introduction: The diagnosis of patients with cognitive deterioration or dementia requires a global approach in which the neuropsychological examination is a key piece. As part of the GERMCIDE study (Group for the Study and Multicenter Registry of Incident Cases of Dementia in Spain), a protocol was designed that included an assessment of the different cognitive functions that are most frequently altered in dementias (memory, orientation, speech, praxis, abstraction capacity and executive function).
Methods: In order to obtain data in normal subjects, this neuropsychological protocol was applied to a group of persons over 50 years without cognitive deterioration or dementia.
Results: A total of 103 subjects whose ages ranged from 50 to 95 years (mean: 73.5; SD: 9.3 years); 39 (37.9%) men and 64 (62.1%) women were studied. The mean score on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was 27/30 (SD: 2.0). In the speech and praxis tests, 90% of the subjects obtained the maximum value, while performances were more unequal in memory, reasoning and programming. Mean score, standard deviation and distribution in percentages for each subtest are presented.
Conclusions: The values obtained in this sample of normal subjects and their distribution in percentages may be very helpful to facilitate the interpretation of the findings of the neuropsychological examination with the GERMCIDE protocol in the general neurology clinic visits and also in the specialized visits in dementia.