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Mini Mental State Examination and Logical Memory scores for entry into Alzheimer's disease trials
Chapman KR, Bing-Canar H, Alosco ML, Steinberg EG, Martin B, Chaisson C, Kowall N, Tripodis Y et al.. Alzheimer's research & therapy, 2016-02-22
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Background Specific cutoff scores on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Logical Memory (LM) test are used to determine inclusion in Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical trials and diagnostic studies. These screening measures have known psychometric limitations, but no study has examined the diagnostic accuracy of the cutoff scores used to determine entry into AD clinical trials and diagnostic studies. Methods ClinicalTrials.gov entries were reviewed for phases II and III active and recruiting AD studies using the MMSE and LM for inclusion.
Key findings
- These screening measures have known psychometric limitations, but no study has examined the diagnostic accuracy of the cutoff scores used to determine entry into AD clinical trials and diagnostic studies.
- Methods ClinicalTrials.gov entries were reviewed for phases II and III active and recruiting AD studies using the MMSE and LM for inclusion.
- The diagnostic accuracy of MMSE and LM-II cutoffs used in AD trials and diagnostic studies was examined using 23,438 subjects with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and AD dementia derived from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center database.
- Results MMSE and LM cutoffs used in current AD clinical trials and diagnostic studies had limited diagnostic accuracy, particularly for distinguishing between normal cognition and MCI, and MCI from AD dementia.
Why it matters
This study examined the diagnostic accuracy of the MMSE and Logical Memory cutoff scores used to decide entry into Alzheimer's disease clinical trials and diagnostic studies, using data from 23,438 subjects. It concerns trial screening criteria and does not address treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Participants23,438
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer's research & therapy) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer s Research & Therapy: journal h-index 146 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2016 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 4 / 4 | 23,438 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 153 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 12.8 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 3 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 47 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Robert A. Stern: h-index 96 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Boston University: institution h-index 1,456 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26899835) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1186/s13195-016-0176-z
- PubMed: 26899835
- Original source →
- Free full text: Alzheimer s Research & Therapy →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Chapman, K. R., Bing-Canar, H., Alosco, M. L., Steinberg, E. G., Martin, B., Chaisson, C., et al. (2016). Mini Mental State Examination and Logical Memory scores for entry into Alzheimer's disease trials. Alzheimer's research & therapy. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-016-0176-z
Vancouver
Chapman KR, Bing-Canar H, Alosco ML, Steinberg EG, Martin B, Chaisson C, et al. Mini Mental State Examination and Logical Memory scores for entry into Alzheimer's disease trials. Alzheimer's research & therapy. 2016. doi:10.1186/s13195-016-0176-z. PMID: 26899835.
BibTeX
@article{chapman2016-26899835,
author = {Chapman, K. R. and Bing-Canar, H. and Alosco, M. L. and Steinberg, E. G. and Martin, B. and Chaisson, C. and Kowall, N. and Tripodis, Y. and others},
title = {{Mini Mental State Examination and Logical Memory scores for entry into Alzheimer's disease trials}},
journal = {Alzheimer's research \& therapy},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1186/s13195-016-0176-z},
pmid = {26899835},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-016-0176-z}
}
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