The Figure Memory Test: diagnosis of memory impairment in populations with heterogeneous educational background

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Diagnosis of cognitive impairment is usually difficult in low-educated individuals. The Brief Cognitive Screening Battery (BCSB) was designed as a screening tool for the evaluation of cognitive impairment in low-educated individuals, but it may also be used for evaluating individuals with high educational level. Objectives: To perform a narrative review analyzing the origin of the BCSB, to report all studies that have used the Figure Memory Test (FMT) of the BCSB, and to demonstrate that it is a useful battery for regions where populations have heterogeneous educational background. Methods: We performed a search in PubMed, SciELO, and LILACS using the terms “Brief Cognitive Screening Battery” and “Brief Cognitive Battery”. Results: We obtained 49 papers from PubMed, 32 from SciELO, and 28 from LILACS. After the exclusion of duplicate papers, 54 publications were obtained; five more studies were included from previous knowledge of the authors. Twenty-four papers were related to the impact of education on performance, diagnostic accuracy, cutoff scores and normative studies. The delayed recall of the FMT showed the best accuracy for the diagnosis of dementia with a cutoff score of ≤5 in different education levels. In 35 papers, the FMT of the BCSB was used in clinical studies with different settings, from outpatient memory clinics to epidemiological studies and evaluation of Amazon river basin dwelling individuals, and it was always considered to be easy to apply. Conclusions: The FMT of the BCSB is an easy and short tool for the diagnosis of dementia in populations with heterogeneous educational background.

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“… 35 The BCSB is a 7‐ to 10‐minute process and includes a figure memory test (with 10 items) to assess incidental memory, immediate memory, and learning. 35 , 36 Then category fluency (animals/minute) and clock drawing tests are administered as interference tasks, followed by delayed recall and recognition of the figures. 35 , 36 The patient had a total BCSB score of 50 with a delayed recall of 4 out of 10, suggestive of AD dementia.…”

“… 35 , 36 Then category fluency (animals/minute) and clock drawing tests are administered as interference tasks, followed by delayed recall and recognition of the figures. 35 , 36 The patient had a total BCSB score of 50 with a delayed recall of 4 out of 10, suggestive of AD dementia. Biomarker analyses were not feasible to confirm the diagnosis, highlighting the importance for validation of cognitive assessments.…”

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“…Additionally, the patient had trouble in both naming objects and repeating sentences. Memory was also impaired on bedside testing, the Figure Memory Test (9). The rest of the neurological examination was unremarkable.…”

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“…The first assessment was carried out by a neurologist with training in cognitive neurology and consisted of a semi-structured interview with a collection of sociodemographic data; cognitive assessment with MMSE, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the Brief Cognitive Screening Battery (BCSB) 21,22 screening for depression and anxiety symptoms using GDS-15 and the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI), respectively; and the functional assessment with the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ) and the CDR.…”