The purpose of the MCI Screen is to help you know whether or not you are in good cognitive health for your age, or if some underlying medical condition is affecting your cognition. 

When cognitive performance is below normal for your demographic peer group (based on age, gender, race, and level of education), then a diagnostic work-up with your physician is warranted.

The MCI Screen is 97% accurate in classifying cognitive function as "within" or "below" norms for demographically adjusted peer groups.

The accuracy of a particular cognitive screen is measured by its ability to correctly identify a cognitive problem (sensitivity) without incorrectly classifying a normal response as impaired (specificity).

In general, the higher the sensitivity and specificity of a particular assessment tool are, the more accurate the results of that tool will be.

In evaluating the accuracy of various assessment tools, it is important to consider the minimum severity of impairment that the tool can detect. While many tests claim a high accuracy rate for detecting dementia, very few are sensitive enough to identify early stages of subtler impairment classified as mild cognitive impairment. Only the MCI Screen has high accuracy (97.3%) and published validity for distinguishing MCI from normal aging.

The MCI Screen is based on the 10-Word Recall Test included in the CERAD (Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease) battery, the assessment used by dementia specialists. The 10-Word Recall Test requires the subject to memorize and recall a list of 10 words.

Embic Corporation (formerly Medical Care Corporation) gathered the response patterns on the CERAD wordlist for several hundred subjects as well as complete physiological, neurological, and psychological exam data on each subject. Using advanced mathematics including correspondence analysis, Embic analyzed the responses of subjects in the database to isolate differences in the response patterns of healthy subjects compared to those with well-characterized memory disorders. By classifying over one trillion response patterns, Embic developed methods to accurately classify response patterns as "within" or "below" norms on a demographically adjusted basis.

Yes. The MCI Screen was originally validated in a study of 471 community dwelling adults whose scores on the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale ranged from 0 (normal: N=119), 0.5 (mild cognitive impairment: N=95), to 1 (mild dementia: N=257). The MCI Screen showed overall accuracy of 98% with sensitivity of 96% for classifying mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia, and 91% specificity for classifying normal aging. The accuracy of the MCI Screen was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Shankle WR. et al. PNAS. 2005; 102(13): 4919-4924). MCI Screen © Embic Corporation The MCI Screen was further validated in a study of 182 patients whose FAST stage ranged from 1 (normal) to 4 (mild to moderate dementia) in primary care settings, and was also compared to Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) and Clock Drawing Test (CDT). The MCI Screen showed over all accuracy of 97%, while MMSE and CDT showed 76% and 69%, respectively. (Trenkle DL. et al. JAD. 2007; 11(3):323-335.)

Neither the MCI Screen nor the MMSE are "diagnostic tests", as neither can identify the presence or absence of any particular medical condition. While both the MMSE and the MCI Screen are used for assessing an individual's cognitive function, there are several key differences between the two. The biggest difference is accuracy. The MCI Screen is approximately 99% accurate in identifying early stage dementia, while the MMSE is approximately 70%* accurate. For identifying a subtler stage of decline, mild cognitive MCI Screen impairment, the MCI Screen is 97% accurate while the MMSE is approximately 50-60%* accurate.

*These are the highest published figures for the MMSE.

The MMSE is a paper test that evaluates several functions including: orientation, registration, attention and calculation, recall and language. Such an approach is useful when a medical problem is quite advanced and a physician is monitoring further cognitive decline.

Comparisons to baseline tests - some tests establish a baseline score for patients so that subsequent test results may be compared to previous results in order to identify changes in a patient's cognitive function. Computerized tests facilitate the establishment of baseline scores and enable clinician’s to more easily evaluate longitudinal results.

Comparisons to normative data - some tests compare an individual's results to normative data for people in their peer groups. Tests can make comparisons on one or more demographic factors (age, gender, and education level are generally the most meaningful) or a wider range of factors such as overall response patterns. In general, the more sophisticated the use of comparison data, the greater the predictive power of the screen.

Administering the MCI Screen on paper is possible but not recommended. Since the test is scored electronically, the data must be input into a computer before results can be tabulated. As such, electronic administration eliminates this necessary data-entry step. Further advantages of electronic administration include automatic randomization of the wordlist for a given subject and real-time report generation.

Yes. After becoming familiar with the test protocol, anyone can reliably administer the MCI Screen with a high degree of accuracy. No specific training or credentials are required.

No. All patient data is completely protected by HIPAA regulations and cannot be used in any manner that requires patient identity. However, Embic Corporation does use depersonalized, aggregated data for research and development purposes.

The data set from which the underlying algorithm was developed included individuals ranging in age from 30 to 89. As such, the technology is most accurate when used on patients across that age range.

For each patient, their performance is compared to a group of demographically similar test subjects (same age, gender, race, and level of education).

When you get your report you will see:

• Patient ID
• Overall Result:
  • “Normal” for those aging normally, OR:
  • “Below Normal” for those who should be worked up, OR:
  • “Borderline” for approximately 1% of patients that cannot be accurately classified with one test
• Memory Performance Index (MPI): A numeric score from 1-100, useful for longitudinal monitoring of cognitive health over time
• Task sub-scores and statistics: While the MCI Screen is not diagnostic, performance on each test in the battery can be useful to clinicians in the diagnostic process.
• Qualitative summary of the patient’s cognitive performance

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The accuracy of a particular cognitive screen is measured by its ability to correctly identify a cognitive problem (sensitivity) without incorrectly classifying a normal response as impaired (specificity).

In general, the higher the sensitivity and specificity of a particular assessment tool are, the more accurate the results of that tool will be.

In evaluating the accuracy of various assessment tools, it is important to consider the minimum severity of impairment that the tool can detect. While many tests claim a high accuracy rate for detecting dementia, very few are sensitive enough to identify early stages of subtler impairment classified as mild cognitive impairment. Only the MCI Screen has high accuracy (97.3%) and published validity for distinguishing MCI from normal aging.

If you're not sure if your memory changes are due to normal aging, or an underlying medical condition, then MCI Screen is a helpful next step.  To detect and prevent Dementia, identification of the Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) stage is crucial.

Neither MCI nor Dementia is a disease. Rather, these two terms refer to differing degrees of reduced cognitive function.

MCI refers to a subtle yet measurable cognitive deficit. Persons with MCI have impairments limited to one category of cognitive function (e.g. memory, judgment, reasoning, object recognition), but impairment does not interfere with their activities of daily living (such as bathing, dressing, etc.). The MCI Screen is the only brief tool with high accuracy (97%) and published validity for distinguishing MCI from normal aging.

Dementia is a more severe deficit than MCI and refers to impairment in two or more categories of cognitive function that interfere with the person’s ability to function in their daily social, professional, or personal routine.

There are many causes of MCI, most of which are entirely treatable. Among the most common are thyroid disorders, vitamin deficiencies, sleep disorders, depression, medications, poorly controlled diabetes and/or hypertension, and alcohol/substance abuse. More serious causes of MCI, which are more effectively treated when identified early, are vascular disease and early stage Alzheimer’s disease.

The majority of dementia diagnoses are caused by a group of disorders called Alzheimer's disease and Related Disorders (ADRD). Approximately 60% of the cases of Dementia are due to Alzheimer's disease and another 20% are due to vascular disease. Smaller numbers of cases are caused by Parkinson's disease, Lewy Body disease, and frontal lobe dementia. Treatment efficacy for those with ADRD is highly dependent on timely intervention and can be substantially beneficial when treatment is begun early.

Identifying MCI enables early diagnosis of the underlying disorder. Just like other conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, the earlier the diagnosis of a cognitive disorder is made, the more effective treatment will be. As summarized in this review, early detection and proper treatment of Alzheimer's disease can meaningfully delay its progression.

There can be many causes of cognitive impairment, including:

• Age
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Alcohol/drug abuse
• High Blood Pressure
• High cholesterol
• Obesity
• Depression or anxiety
• Obstructive sleep apnea/sleep disorders
• Lack of physical exercise
• Low education level
• Lack of mentally or socially stimulating activities
• Stroke
• Delirium
• Dementia (various)
• Vitamin deficiencies
• Hormonal imbalances
• Family history
• Poorly controlled chronic conditions
• Thyroid disorders
• Emerging Alzheimer’s disease

A cognitive assessment is a test that evaluates a person's cognitive function such as memory, language, recognition and judgment and reasoning by asking the patient to answer certain questions or complete specific tasks. These tests can vary, and include MCI Screen simple paper-based tests, computerized tests and in-person or phone interviews administered by professionals.

Comparisons to baseline tests - some tests establish a baseline score for patients so that subsequent test results may be compared to previous results in order to identify changes in a patient's cognitive function. Computerized tests facilitate the establishment of baseline scores and enable clinician’s to more easily evaluate longitudinal results.

Comparisons to normative data - some tests compare an individual's results to normative data for people in their peer groups. Tests can make comparisons on one or more demographic factors (age, gender, and education level are generally the most meaningful) or a wider range of factors such as overall response patterns. In general, the more sophisticated the use of comparison data, the greater the predictive power of the screen.

Different assessments evaluate different cognitive domains giving insight to the health of the part of the brain associated with that domain. These cognitive domains include memory, judgment and reasoning, orientation, verbal fluency, and others, all of which are surrogate measures for underlying brain health. Importantly, cognitive assessments do not provide a final diagnosis. They merely identify deficits that should be further evaluated by a medical professional. The earlier a physician identifies the cause of any problem flagged by a cognitive assessment, the better the likelihood for a good treatment outcome.

The accuracy of a particular cognitive screen must be measured by its ability to correctly identify a cognitive problem (sensitivity) without incorrectly classifying a normal response as impaired (specificity). In general, the higher the sensitivity and specificity of a particular assessment tool are, the more accurate the results of that tool will be.

In evaluating the accuracy of various assessment tools, it is important to consider the minimum severity of impairment that the tool can detect. While many tests claim a high accuracy rate for detecting dementia, very few are sensitive enough to identify early stages of subtler impairment classified as mild cognitive impairment. Only the MCI Screen has high accuracy (97%) and published validity for distinguishing MCI from normal aging.

The Prevention Report is an electronic questionnaire, which summarizes dementia risk factors by checking an individual's medical history, life style, and family medical history.

After completing the questionnaire, a personalized report is generated containing risk factor identification and analysis, and other educational information about the prevention of ADRD.

The Prevention Report is based on a comprehensive review of published literature and evidence-based medicine research.