Clinical Ratings: Relationship to Objective Psychometric Assessment in Individuals with Dementia

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Abstract
The efficacy of drugs for the treatment of memory impairment in elderly patients with dementia is frequently established by a combination of subjective and objective psychological assessments. Often these assessments produce conflicting results. To throw some light on the relation between subjective and objective assessments, we examined the correlations of subjective ratings on the Sandoz Clinical Assessment—Geriatric (SCAG) and scores on objective cognitive tests of demented patients (9 men and 14 women) being screened for participation in an experimental drug trial. Our results showed agreement between some SCAG scores and performance on tests assessing orientation and information and global measures of memory and cognitive function. Subjective and objective assessments were not redundant, however; both should be included when evaluating the efficacy of pharmacological treatments for dementia.

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