Education-corrected CERAD identifies MCI and dementia in Parkinson's disease.

Karrasch M, Laatu S, Ellfolk U, Marttila R, Martikainen K.Education-corrected CERAD identifies MCI and dementia inParkinson’s disease.Acta Neurol Scand: DOI: 10.1111/ane.12310.© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Objectives – This study examined whether controlling for educationalbackground in the CERAD cognitive screening battery would affectthe likelihood of patients with Parkinson’s disease to fulfill criteria formild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) and dementia (PDD). Materials& Methods – One-hundred seventeen patients with PD were studied.Cognitive impairment was determined as two subtest scores fallingbelow either the standard cutoff scores or education-corrected cutoffscores. The presence of dementia was determined by clinical interviewor Clinical Dementia Rating. Patients were then classified as PD-MCIand PDD according to cognitive test performance and presence/absence of dementia. Results – The number of cognitively impairedpatients (PD-MCI or PDD) was significantly higher when education-controlled cutoff scores were used (62.5% vs 38%). Correspondingly,the number of false negatives (demented PD patients performingnormally in CERAD) was significantly lower when education-corrected cutoff scores were used (4% vs 10%). Conclusions –Controlling for education increases the sensitivity of the CERAD forPD-MCI and PDD.