A composite score for Dokuz Eylul cognitive state neurocognitivetest battery: a door-to-door survey study with illiterate, low and high educated elderly in Turkey

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a composite score for the Turkish neuropsychological test battery named Dokuz Eylul Cognitive State for a large well educated and less educated elderly population, including those with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Materials and Method: Dokuz Eylul Cognitive State total scores were obtained by summing scores acquired from individual Dokuz Eylul Cognitive State subtests to establish a total composite score. Control participants (n=363) were dwelling in the community and tested by means of a door-to-door survey. The utility of the total score was further tested in independent samples of dementia patients with various etiologic backgrounds (n=53) or mild cognitive impairment (n=53) participants. Results: Areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve in well and less educated dementia patients and healthy participants were found to be 0.931 and 0.954, respectively. A cut-off point of 72/73 of Dokuz Eylul Cognitive State for the well educated elderly had the highest sensitivity (83.8) and specificity (90.3), whereas a cut-off point of 49/50 for the less educated elderly had the highest sensitivity (91.2) and specificity (88.6). The Cronbach's values of the Dokuz Eylul Cognitive State for well educated and less educated elderly were higher than 0.8. Conclusion: These results support the validity of the Dokuz Eylul Cognitive State total score for the purpose of detecting and monitoring the progression of receiver operating characteristics and dementia in patients with different levels of education in clinical and research settings