Introduction: Screening tests for detecting dementias are usually long, sometimes difficult to apply, and require a certain amount of instruction prior to using them. The Memory Impairment Screen (MIS) is a fast (3-4 minutes), easy-to-apply screening test that evaluates short-term verbal memory.
Aim: To evaluate the value of the MIS for screening for dementia in our population.
Subjects and methods: We evaluated 101 subjects who were divided into two groups, one consisting of 49 individuals with dementia according to DMS-IV criteria and the other made up of 52 subjects with no cognitive impairment. Demographic variables (sex, age, schooling) were studied together with the results from the Global Deterioration Scale, the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the MIS, the Semantic Verbal Fluency (SVF) and the Command-Condition Clock Test (CCCT).
Statistical analysis: demographic variables and the results from the tests for the two groups (with and without dementia) were compared, and the parameters for diagnostic usefulness and the areas under the ROC (aROC) were determined.
Results: No significant differences were found between the sociodemographic variables except for a higher mean age in the group with dementia. The MIS showed a sensitivity of 83.7% (95% CI: 71-97.9), which was higher than the SVF and the CCCT, and a specificity of 94.2% (95% CI: 84.4-98), which was higher than the MMSE and the SVF. The aROC of the MIS was 0.935 (95% CI: 0.954-1.006).
Conclusions: These findings show that the MIS is a good test for screening for dementia, and its simplicity and quick application could make it suitable for use in our population.