A-167 The Relationship Between Judgement/Reasoning and Global Mental Status

Abstract

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to gather information on the relationship between judgement/reasoning and global mental status (HC = healthy controls, MCI = Mild Cognitive Impairment, and MND = Major Neurocognitive Disorder) by examining the relationship between performance on the Test of Practical Judgment (TOP-J) and mental status screening in a Veteran population. Method The retrospective data sample consisted of 218 Veterans, aged 28–96 (M = 69.67, SD = 12.9434), 95.87% male, 98.62% Caucasian, with a mean education of 12.55 years (SD = 2.32). Mental status screening consisted of the raw scores of Mini-Mental Status Examination-2nd edition (MMSE-2) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS, using MMSE equivalent scores). Participants were placed into three categories based on mental status scores: HC (n = 79), MCI (n = 75), and MND (n = 64). TOP-J scores consisted of raw score across 9 items. Results TOPJ and mental status were mildly correlated for HC (r = .27) and MND (r = 0.34); however, there was minimal correlation for Veterans identified as MCI (r = 0.18). Conclusion A relationship between judgement/reasoning and global mental status was remarkable for HC and MNC but not for MCI. This may be related to the fact that deficits in judgement/reasoning, by definition, tend to be subtle or non-existent for individuals with MCI. Additionally, studies have revealed the MMSE-2 and TOP-J both have limited specificity in accurately identifying MCI patients.