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Crum Populationnorms
Crum Populationnorms
Objective.\p=m-\Toreport the distribution of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) While the MMSE has limited speci¬
scores by age and educational level. ficity with respect to individual clinical
Design.\p=m-\NationalInstitute of Mental Health Epidemiologic Catchment Area syndromes, it is a brief, standardized
method to grade patients' cognitive men¬
Program surveys conducted between 1980 and 1984. tal status. It assesses orientation, at¬
Setting.\p=m-\Communitypopulations in New Haven, Conn; Baltimore, Md; St Lou- tention, immediate and short-term re¬
is, Mo; Durham, NC; and Los Angeles, Calif. call, language, and the ability to follow
Participants.\p=m-\Atotal of 18 056 adult participants selected by probability sam- simple verbal and written commands
pling within census tracts and households. (Fig 1). It provides a total score that
Main Outcome Measures.\p=m-\Summaryscores for the MMSE are given in the places the individual on a scale of cog¬
form of mean, median, and percentile distributions specific for age and educational nitive function.
level. The MMSE has been used within dif¬
Results.\p=m-\TheMMSE scores were related to both age and educational level. ferent cultural and ethnic subgroups and
There was an inverse relationship between MMSE scores and age, ranging from has been translated into several differ¬
a median of 29 for those 18 to 24 years of age, to 25 for individuals 80 years of age ent languages.10·11·17'18 A modified ver¬
and older. The median MMSE score was 29 for individuals with at least 9 years of sion has been used successfully with the
schooling, 26 for those with 5 to 8 years of schooling, and 22 for those with 0 to 4 hearing impaired.19 Furthermore, the
MMSE has been used as a method of
years of schooling. predicting intellectual level,20 as well as
Conclusions.\p=m-\Cognitiveperformance as measured by the MMSE varies with- predicting attrition of elderly subjects
in the population by age and education. The cause of this variation has yet to be from a longitudinal study.21 High corre¬
determined. Mini-Mental State Examination scores should be used to identify cur- lation with other, more comprehensive
rent cognitive difficulties and not to make formal diagnoses. The results presented standardized instruments for the assess¬
should prove to be useful to clinicians who wish to compare an individual patient's ment of cognitive function, such as the
MMSE scores with a population reference group and to researchers making plans Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale,4 and
for new studies in which cognitive status is a variable of interest. other screening tests, such as the Mod¬
ified Blessed Test, has been reported.22·23
(JAMA. 1993;269:2386-2391) Scores correlate with several physio¬
logical measures (ie, association with
SINCE its introduction in 1975, the Mini- portant in clinical settings because of computed tomographic abnormality24·25
Mental State Examination (MMSE) has the known high prevalence of cognitive and cerebral ventricular size,26 perfu¬
become a widely used method for as¬ impairment in medical patients.5·6 As a sion deficits on single-photon emission
sessing cognitive mental status both in clinical instrument, the MMSE has been computed tomographic scan,27 and long-
clinical practice and in research.14 The latency event-related potentials28). Us¬
evaluation of cognitive functioning is im-
For editorial comment see 2420. ing a cutoff score of 23, the sensitivity
and specificity of the MMSE has been
reported to be 87% and 82%, respec¬
From the Departments of Epidemiology and Mental used to detect impairment, follow the tively, for detecting delirium or demen¬
Hygiene, The Johns Hopkins University School of Hy- course of an illness, and monitor response tia in hospitalized patients.29 It is a
giene and Public Health (Drs Crum and Anthony), and to treatment.14 As a research tool, it has screening test, however, and does not
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Drs been used to screen for cognitive dis¬ identify specific disorders.29
Crum, Bassett, and Folstein), Baltimore, Md. orders in epidemiologie studies of com¬ Prior reports from the National In¬
Reprint requests to Department of Epidemiology, munity dwelling and institutionalized stitute of Mental Health Epidemiologie
The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and
Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205 (Dr populations7"11 and to follow cognitive Catchment Area (ECA) Program have
Crum). change in clinical trials.12"16 given prevalence rates for levels of cog-
common among adults with 8 years of ous pathological and etiological condi¬
Date? _
schooling or less.11 Although no differ¬ tions and so does not provide a specific Day? _
State?
ethnicity groups. Blacks were found to tal retardation often obtain low scores
have higher prevalence rates of severe as do individuals with schizophrenia and County? _
impairment as compared with either depression. Since all of these categories Town/city? _
values in 194 healthy men and women ing, the probability of a given score will Registration _
to apply to the clinical arena, where there inition of normal based on the gaussian 4. Serial sevens. Give one point
often is a need to.evaluate a score ob¬ model would be the range of scores that for each correct answer. Stop
tained for individual patients of differ¬ fall between 2 SDs of the mean.32 Those after five answers. Alternative:
ent age and education levels. However, scoring lower for either definition would Spell world backward.
there have been no published MMSE be the tail of the distribution of scores Recall _
scores by age and education based on in the sample studied. To provide a 5. Ask for names of three objects
learned in question 3. Give one
large representative community sam¬ benchmark for these values, we have
ples, which would allow clinicians to place analyzed MMSE scores for 18 056 indi¬ point for each correct answer.
patients' scores in the context of their viduals in five sites across the United Language _
vide an approach that can be used by of individuals surveyed in the National ifs, ands, or buts."
clinicians to evaluate individual patients Institute of Mental Health ECA Pro¬ 8. Have the patient follow a _
against the distribution of scores in a gram. The reported samples were se¬ three-stage command: "Take
lected to be representative of the five the paper in your right hand.
particular population or subsample Fold the paper in half. Put
thereof,32,34 which is done for children's communities surveyed and include in¬
the paper on the floor."
growth charts that are gender and age dividuals regardless of their physical
9. Have the patient read and obey
specific. If we examined a 24-year-old or mental health status. To the extent
_
scores and 50% with worse scores) or Sampling and Measurement below to 1 to 5 cm per side and have
within the interquartile range (scores Between 1980 and 1984, collaborators the patient copy it. (Give one point
from 25% to 75%) or below the fifth in the National Institute of Mental if all the sides and angles are
percentile (more than 95% score bet¬ Health ECA Program recruited 18571 preserved and if the intersecting
ter). As discussed by Feinstein,32·35 the adult participants after selection by sides form a quadrangle.)
percentile technique is simple to use and probability sampling within census
_
appropriate for data with nongaussian tracts and households in five metropol¬
distributions, as we have found with the itan areas: New Haven, Conn; Baltimore,
MMSE.3 Md; St Louis, Mo; Durham, NC; and Los
It is in this sense of a comparative Angeles, Calif. Staff administered the
distribution that we refer to these find¬ Total
Diagnostic Interview Schedule soon af¬
ings as "population-based norms," with¬ ter sampling. The mean survey partic¬
out any implication that all persons are ipation was 76% (range, 68% to 79%). Fig 1.—The clinical version of the Mini-Mental State
free of disease that might cause impair¬ All study data were gathered with stan¬ Examination. A copy of the field survey has been
ment in cognitive functions. This ap¬ dardized interview methods. Neither published.3 For institutionalized or hospitalized pa¬
tients, the name of the building was asked in ques¬
proach to the definition of population subjects nor interviewers were aware tion 2.
S
S· y'
/s
-
90th Percentile
-- -
Upper Quartile \
• ·
Median
— -
Lower Quartile 90th Percentile
-
10th Percentile
-
—
Upper Quartile
- - —
5th Percentile
.
Median
— — -
Lower Quartile
-
10th Percentile
— - —
5th Percentile
18-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 I 65-69 70-74 75-79 I 5-8 y 9-12 y Diploma College Bachelor's
Degree
Age, y Educational Level orHigher
Fig 2.—Mini-Mental State Examination score by age and selected percentiles. Fig 3.—Mini-Mental State Examination score by educational level and selected
Data from the Epidemiologie Catchment Area surveys, 1980 to 1984, with percentiles. Data from the Epidemiologie Catchment Area surveys, 1980 to
weights based on the 1980 US population distributions for age, sex, and race. 1984, with weights based on the 1980 US population distributions for age, sex,
and race.
that the age and education distribution published elsewhere.1,3·29 data, including both published books11·38
of the MMSE would be evaluated spe¬ The ECA sample included adults aged and scientific articles.44·45 Nonetheless,
cifically. Sampled individuals under¬ 18 years and older. The age variable a separate analysis (not presented) also
went a comprehensive interview to used in this study's analyses was cate¬ was carried out on the unweighted sam¬
examine symptoms associated with gorized according to the following in¬ ple. No appreciable differences were
psychiatric disorders, patterns of sub¬ tervals of years: 18 to 24, 25 to 29, 30 to found when the weighted and unweight¬
stance use, and utilization of health 34, 35 to 39, 40 to 44, and up to 85 and ed results were compared.
services, as well as demographic fac¬ older. Education was categorized by
RESULTS
tors. The MMSE was included as a part years of schooling completed, and each
of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule in respondent was assigned to the catego¬ In this study, we found that bivariate
order to assess cognitive functioning. A ry corresponding to the highest grade correlations between MMSE score with
detailed discussion of the history, sam¬ achieved. both age and years of schooling proved
pling methods, and instruments used to be significant (for age, the Spearman
in this survey, as well as a description Correlations, Percentiles, coefficient was -.38 and P<.001; for
and Weighting
of the specific scoring techniques used years of schooling, it was .50 and
for the MMSE has been reported Spearman's rank correlation coeffi¬ P<.001). Figures 2 and 3 present the
elsewhere.37"41 cients calculated to assess the re¬
were age and educational distributions for the
Of the 18 571 adult participants orig¬ lationship between MMSE scores and total MMSE score among adult partic¬
inally surveyed in the ECA household our variables of interest, age, and years ipants in the ECA household surveys.
surveys, 18056 were included for this of schooling.42 The weighted percentile Consistent with increasing incidence of
analysis. A total of 515 individuals with points were obtained using the univari- dementia and other cognitive impair¬
missing data were excluded. Study par¬ ate procedure of the SAS statistical com¬ ments with age,40·46 the total MMSE score
ticipants were administered the MMSE puter program,42 assigning averaged was found to decline with age (Fig 2).
field survey form,3·11 which includes two ranked scores for tied data values. That is, scanning upward through the
substitutions from the original MMSE Weighted quartiles were obtained in the age strata, one finds a steady and con¬
(Fig 1). Instead of being asked for the same manner. The lower, median, and sistent decline in score across all per-
county in which they were currently lo¬ upper quartiles corresponded to the 25th, centiles. The distribution of the MMSE
cated, subjects were asked for the names 50th, and 75th percentiles, respectively. scores also demonstrated a wider range
of two main streets nearby. In addition, Whereas others have examined poten¬ of score with increasing age. For exam¬
participants were asked to perform both tial variation in MMSE scores across ple, 95% of adults between the ages of
the serial sevens (asked to subtract by the five individual ECA sites,11 this study 18 and 45 years had a score of at least 22,
sevens from 100) and also asked to spell has involved use of all available data with a median score of 29. In contrast,
world backward.3·11 The question that from the ECA household samples, and for adults aged 65 to 69 years the me¬
led to the highest total MMSE score a standardization and weighting proce¬ dian score was 28, but the range of scores
was used. The MMSE score was calcu¬ dure was used to make the samples' age, for 95% of the population was much
lated by summing the correct responses sex, and race distributions comparable wider. The figure also illustrates the
to MMSE items to yield a total score. and balanced with the corresponding skewed nature of the distribution of the
The test score falls in a range from the age, sex, and race distributions for the MMSE scores, with heavy clustering at
lowest possible (0) to the highest (30). United States, as determined by the 1980 the higher scores.
More detailed descriptions of the ad¬ census.43 This procedure has been used The MMSE scores also varied with ed¬
ministration of the MMSE have been widely in analyses of the five-site ECA ucational level (Fig 3). Across increasing
Educational Level 18-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 ï85 Total
0 to 4 y
33 36 28 34 49 126 139 105 61 892
Mean 22 25 25 23 23 23 23 22 23 22 22 21 20
SD 2.9 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.9 2.3
Lower quartile 23 20 20 20 20 20 15 19
Median 23 25 26 24 23 23 22 22 22 22 21 21 19 20 22
Upper quartile 25 27 28 26 26 26 25 24 23 23 25
5 to 8 y
94 83 74 101 633 533 437 241 134 3223
Mean 26 26 27 26 26 26 26 26 25 25 23 26
SD 2.7 2.5 2.8 2.5 2.4 2.9 2.3 1.7 2.1 1.9 2.2
Lower quartile 24 23 25 25 23
Median 28 27 26 27 27 27 27 27 27 27 26 26 25 26
Upper quartile 29 29 28 29 29 29 29 29 28 28 27 28
9 to 12 y or
high school diploma
1326 822 668 489 423 462 525 626 99 8240
Mean 29 29 29 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 27 27 25 28
SD 2.2 1.3 1.3 2.2 2.2 1.4 1.6 1.5 2.3 2.0
Lower quartile 28 28 28 28 27 26 23 23 27
Median 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 28 28 28 27 26 29
Upper quartile 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 28 28 30
College experience
or higher degree
783 1012 989 354 259 220 231 270 358 255 181 96 5701
Mean 29 29 29 29 29 29 28 28 27 27 29
SD 1.3 0.9 1.0 1.0 1.7 1.6 1.5 1.3 1.0 1.6 1.6 0.9 1.3 1.3
Lower quartile 29 29 29 29 28 28 28 28 27 27 26
Median 30 30 30 30 30 29 29 28 28 28 29
Upper quartile 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 29 29 29 29 30
Total, 2220 2076 1926 1443 831 870 1013 1294 1931 1477 1045 605 346 18 056
Mean 29 29 29 29 28 28 28 28 28 26 24 28
SD 2.0 1.3 1.3 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.0 1.6 2.1 2.2 2.0
Lower quartile 28 28 28 26 26 24 23 21 21 27
Median 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 28 28 27 26 25 25 29
Upper quartile 30 30 30 30 30 29 29 29 28 28
*Data from the Epidemiologie Catchment Area household surveys in New Haven, Conn; Baltimore, Md; St Louis, Mo; Durham, NC; and Los Angeles, Calif, between 1980
and 1984. The data are weighted based on the 1980 US population census by age, sex, and race.
levels of educational achievement, the educational level as they exist within the lowest educational level (0 to 4 years
MMSE score increased, and the range of these communities. We therefore refer of education) to a median score of 28 for
scores narrowed. Individuals who report¬ to these values as "norms," in line with the highest educational level (college lev¬
ed no formal schooling demonstrated the one of Feinstein's47 definitions of "range el experience or higher).
lowest scores and the widest range. of normal." In this study, as in oth¬ The MMSE scores were not distrib¬
These general patterns of distribution ers,11·29"31,48 we found that age and level uted normally, and thus, the use of the
in the MMSE score persisted when the of education were associated with assumptions of normal theory do not
age and education distributions were MMSE scores obtained in a community- apply. However, several studies of pa¬
combined (Table). The greatest degree of based household survey. The MMSE tients that ignored this caveat found an
variability occurred in the lowest educa¬ scores were lower for the oldest age SD of 2 to 3 points. In this sample, we
tional groups at the oldest ages. The me¬ groups and for those with fewer years of found that individuals at the 25th per¬
dian MMSE score was 29 for those with schooling. Although the prevalence of centile (lower quartile) with 0 to 4 years
at least 9 years of schooling, 26 for those cognitive disorders in general, and of education scored 19 and below, while
with 5 to 8 years of schooling, and 22 for Alzheimer's disease in particular, has those at the 25th percentile with college
those with 0 to 4 years of schooling. been found to increase with age,49 the education experience scored 29 and be¬
data presented here illustrate that cog¬ low. The median score ranged from 22
COMMENT nitive impairment as evidenced by per¬ to 29 in these educational groups. Thus,
This study presents MMSE scores for formance on the MMSE is not only re¬ we found the scores to be more variable
a population-based sample of 18056 lated to age but is also clearly related to in those with low education than in those
adults drawn from five communities in educational level. For example, even with high education. Several explana¬
the United States. This large sample is within a specific age stratum, the MMSE tions for this difference in variability
unique for the evaluation of this type of varied appreciably between educational are possible. Some have argued that
cognitive test. The data represent the groups: from a median score of 20 among there needs to be an adjustment of
distribution of MMSE scores by age and individuals aged 85 years and older with MMSE scores,48·50·51 because individuals