The Portuguese version of ACE-III has very good reliability and high diagnostic capacity in the context of MCI and dementia. ACE-III also holds concurrent and divergent validity.

Abstract. Aims: This contribution studies the psychometric properties (reliability, concurrent validity, and sensitivity) of the Portuguese version of the Mini-Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (M-ACE) in the context of early dementia. Methods: A sample of 60 participants was distributed in two groups: control group and dementia group. The following tests were administered: the ACE-III, from which the M-ACE was extracted, the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The CDR was used to determine the severity of dementia; the MoCA and ACE-III were used to determine the convergent validity of the M-ACE. Results: The reliability of the M-ACE is acceptable (α = .784). We extracted the cut-off scores and the corresponding values of sensitivity and specificity: A cutoff score of 17 on M-ACE has a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 72.1%. The M-ACE correlated significantly with the ACE-III and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Conclusion: The Portuguese version of the M-ACE has satisfactory psychometric characteristics and is a useful screening tool in the context of early dementia. The M-ACE can be employed in primary healthcare consultations.

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Although several brief sensitive screening tools are available to detect executive dysfunction, few have been developed to quickly assess executive functioning. The INECO Frontal Screening (IFS) is a brief tool which has proved be useful for the assessment of the executive functions in patients with dementia. The aim of this study was to explore whether the IFS is as sensitive and specific as the BADS, a battery designed to assess the dysexecutive syndrome, in schizophrenia. Our sample comprised a group of 34 schizophrenic patients (Mean age = 39.59, DP = 10.697) and 31 healthy controls (Mean age = 35.52, DP = 10.211). To all groups were administered the BADS, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and IFS. The results suggest that schizophrenic patients performed significantly worse than the control group in all tests (p < .05). The IFS total score was 13.29 for the experimental group and 26.21 for the control group (p < .001). Considering a cut-off of 14 points, the IFS sensitivity was 100% and specificity 56% in detection of executive dysfunction in schizophrenia, compared with the BADS, that if we consider a cut-off of 11 points, was a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 50%. Thus, IFS is a brief, sensitive and specific tool for the detection of executive dysfunction in schizophrenia.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological disorders. Cognitive dysfunction is considered a clinical marker of MS, where approximately half of patients with MS have cognitive impairment.Objective:The Phototest (PT) is a brief cognitive test with high diagnostic sensitivity, accuracy and cost-effectiveness for detecting cognitive deterioration. Our aim was to test the utility of the PT as a neurocognitive screening instrument for MS. Methods:The study enrolled 30 patients with different types of MS from an outpatient clinic as well as 19 healthy participants. In conjunction with the PT, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Barthel Index (BI), Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) were administered. Results:The MS group obtained significantly lower results on all domains of the PT, except for the naming task. The PT showed good concurrent validity with the MoCA. In direct comparison to the MoCA, PT showed a greater area under the curve and higher levels of sensitivity and specificity for MS neurocognitive impairments. A cut-off score of 31 on the Phototest was associated with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 76.7%. Conclusion : The PT is a valid, specific, sensitive and brief test that is not dependent on motor functions. The instrument could be an option for neurocognitive screening in MS, especially in identifying cases for further neuropsychological assessment and intervention.