역학적 연구에서 치매 의심의 문제 : 경도 치매와의 비교

Problem of Questionable Dementia in Epidemiological Studies: Comparison with Mild Dementia

It is very important to clarify whether questionable and mild dementias are same or different. MMSEK scores and cognitive functions were compared between the elderly with questionable dementia (n=20) and the elderly with mild dementia (n=28). They were all from a 1.5-year follow-up of community elderly people who had been diagnosed as either questionably de merited, mildly demented or non-demented in a prevalence survey. Total score and all, except time orientation, subtest scores of the MMSEK revealed no significant differences. Of the memory functions, immediate visual recognition, delayed recall, logical memory, and delayed visual recall were similar between the two groups. Proverb interpretation, praxis, gnosis, visuospatial construction, and object naming were not significantly different between the two. Longterm memory, similarity-finding, and judgement of questionable dementia were significantly superior to those of mild dementia. These findings may suggest that questionable dementia and mild dementia are the same one and that time orientation, long-term memory, similarityfinding, and judgement are important in diagnostician’s decision between questionable and mild severities of demenita