🧠 Mini-Cog (Cognitive Screen)
Screen rapidly for cognitive impairment with the Mini-Cog.
Clinical takeaway
Quick and relatively education-independent.
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When to use
Brief dementia screening in primary and acute care.
How it works
3-word recall (0–3) plus clock drawing (0 or 2); total 0–5. ≤ 2 is a positive screen.
Key points
- Quick and relatively education-independent.
- A positive screen warrants formal assessment.
- Not a diagnostic test.
References
Decision support for licensed clinicians only; not a substitute for clinical judgement, diagnosis or local protocols.
Worked calculation
The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.
| 3-word recall | 0 words |
|---|---|
| Clock drawing test | Normal (2) |
→Mini-Cog2/5
- Interpretation：≤ 2 — positive screen for cognitive impairment; pursue fuller assessment.
| 3-word recall | 3 words |
|---|---|
| Clock drawing test | Abnormal (0) |
→Mini-Cog3/5
- Interpretation：≥ 3 — lower likelihood of impairment.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Mini-Cog (Cognitive Screen)?
- Screen rapidly for cognitive impairment with the Mini-Cog.
- How is Mini-Cog (Cognitive Screen) calculated? What is the core formula?
- 3-word recall (0–3) plus clock drawing (0 or 2); total 0–5. ≤ 2 is a positive screen.
- When is Mini-Cog (Cognitive Screen) used?
- Brief dementia screening in primary and acute care.
- What are the key clinical points for Mini-Cog (Cognitive Screen)?
- Quick and relatively education-independent. A positive screen warrants formal assessment. Not a diagnostic test.
- What are the limits and cautions when using Mini-Cog (Cognitive Screen)?
- For licensed clinicians and clinical researchers. Interpret results with history, investigations and local protocols; not a diagnosis or prescription, and not a substitute for multidisciplinary decision-making or local guidelines.
- How is Mini-Cog (Cognitive Screen) calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
- Inputs: 3-word recall 0 words, Clock drawing test Normal (2) → Result: Mini-Cog 2 /5（Interpretation: ≤ 2 — positive screen for cognitive impairment; pursue fuller assessment.） Inputs: 3-word recall 3 words, Clock drawing test Abnormal (0) → Result: Mini-Cog 3 /5（Interpretation: ≥ 3 — lower likelihood of impairment.）