Instructions for the Mini-Cog Test
Administration
the Mini-Cog test is a 3-minute instrument to screen for cognitive impairment in older
adults in the primary care setting. The Mini-Cog uses a three-item recall test for memory
and a simply scored clock-drawing test (CDT). The latter serves as an “informative
distractor,” helping to clarify scores when the memory recall score is intermediate. The
Mini-Cog was as effective as or better than established screening tests in both an
epidemiologic survey in a mainstream sample and a multi-ethnic, multilin
g
ual population
comprising many individuals of low socioeconomic status and education level. In
comparative tests, the Mini-Cog was at least twice as fast as the Mini-Mental State
Examination. The Mini-Cog is less affected by subject ethnicity, language, and
education, and can detect a variety of different dementias. Moreover, the Mini-Cog
detects many people with mild cognitive impairment (cognitive impairment too mild to
meet diagnostic criteria for dementia).
Scoring (see figure 1)
1 point for each recalled word
Score clock drawing as Normal (the patient places the correct time and the clock
appears grossly normal) or Abnormal
Score
0 Positive for cognitive impairment
1-2 Abnormal CDT then positive for cognitive impairment
1-2 Normal CDT then negative for cognitive impairment
3 Negative screen for dementia (no need to score CDT)
Page 1 of 2Instructions for the Mini-Cog Test
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