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Screening for Alzheimer's Disease by Clock Drawing
Author(s) -
WolfKlein Gisele P.,
Silverstone Felix A.,
Levy Arnold P.,
Brod Meryl S.,
Breuer Joseph
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1989.tb02234.x
Subject(s) - medicine , disease , alzheimer's disease , depression (economics) , test (biology) , outpatient clinic , geriatrics , psychiatry , gerontology , paleontology , biology , economics , macroeconomics
The fear of Alzheimer's disease for both patients and families is growing along with the increasing evidence of the disease itself. This study (N = 312) of the validity of the clock drawing test in screening patients with probable Alzheimer's disease was conducted in an active outpatient geriatric clinic. Clock drawings by patients with normal mental status or depression were essentially normal. Alzheimer's patients were unable to complete a normal clock and demonstrated five characteristically abnormal patterns. As a test for Alzheimer's disease, clock drawing had a sensitivity of 86.7% and a specificity of 92.7%. There was correct identification in 97.2% of normals. These findings indicate that the clock drawing test, an easily administered, low cost screening tool, can be useful to health care professionals in characterizing cognitive loss in a general geriatric clinic population.