The CAMDEX: A Standardized Instrument for the Diagnosis of Mental Disorder in the Elderly: A Replication with a US Sample

Abstract

The Cambridge Mental Disorders of the Elderly Examination (CAMDEX) was developed by Roth, et al (1986) to assist in the early diagnosis and measurement of dementia in the elderly. In this study the CAMDEX was administered to a mixed group of independently diagnosed elderly psychiatric patients and control subjects in the United States. The CAMDEX was found to have a high interrater reliability with a mixed group of clinicians of varying backgrounds. The diagnostic scales and the cognitive section of the CAMDEX demonstrated considerable promise in distinguishing between independently diagnosed populations of depressed, demented, and normal subjects. The results suggest comparability between samples of subjects in England and the US, and that the CAMDEX is a promising instrument for use in both research and clinical settings.

Memory Complaints and Impairment in Normal, Depressed, and Demented Elderly Persons Identified in a Community Survey

“…Patients were screened for cognitive impairment using the Mini- (1) recall six photographs of every¬ day objects shown a few minutes previously (spontaneous recall); (2) recognize them later from a selection of similar photographs (cued recall); (3) give the dates of the two world wars and the names of two famous characters from the distant past (remote information); (4) name the monarch, the heir to the throne, the prime minister, and a topic recently reported in the news (current information); (5) repeat three words immediately after hearing them (immediate recall); (6) recall the three words a few minutes later; and, finally, (7) recall a name and address previously written on an envelope. None of the tests was timed; the interval between the presentation of material and its recall varied, depending on the time taken to complete intervening items.…”

Validation of the Full and Short Forms of the CAMDEX Interview for Diagnosing Dementia

“…Among the few standardised interview schedules cur rently available, the Cambridge Mental Disorders of the Elderly Examination (CAMDEX) by Roth et al [14] is one of the most complete and culture-independent [15][16][17]. The psychometric quality of CAMDEX seems high, given its sensitivity to different levels of severity of dementia, rated on the basis of internationally established criteria [18].…”

Validation analysis of informant's ratings of cognitive function in African Americans and Nigerians

“…The questions are based upon the Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders (CAMDEX) (Roth et al, 1986;Hendrie et al, 1988) and the Blessed Dementia Scale (Morris et al, 1993). The informant is asked about possible changes in language, memory, judgment and activities of daily living of the study participants.…”