Screening tests for the diagnosis of dementia, which could be applied to subjects, who cannot speak the language of the investigator good enough, are not available. In two groups of migrants (age 60 years and more), namely, patients who received the diagnosis of a dementia syndrome of Alzheimer type, and a group of nondemented control subjects a neuropsychological test battery of 6 tests was applied. The tests are simple in the application and need only short time for the examination. The hypothesis was, that the tests of averbal episodic memory (e. g., a simple abstract figure for copy and reconstruction from memory), orientation to time and tests of apraxia (e. g., clock drawing and hand-fist sequences) as well as logical sequences (odds out, LPS subtest 3) demonstrate a good diagnostic power. The results show for all tests statistically significant group differences, but also marked differences in the diagnostic validity. The best tests were the new multiple choice orientation test and the new test of copy and reconstruction of a simple abstract figure. A short dementia screening seems to be possible. © 2009 by Verlag Hans Huber.

Dementia immigrants Averbal Screening test Diagnosis

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