阿茲海默氏病是一種大腦逐漸退化的疾病,目前臨床上是以簡短式智能評估(Mini Mental State examination, MMSE)、知能篩檢測驗(Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument, CASI)以及臨床失智評量表(Clinical Dementia Rating, CDR),作爲衡鑑工具以當作臨床診斷時,評估患者認知功能及判斷失智症嚴重程度的依據。由於測驗過程中有許多干擾因素,所以評估者需要藉由不同的技巧,解析病患及其家屬的反應,以便進一步釐清確定患者目前的認知功能狀況。
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative illness. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) are applied to assess whether a person suffers Alzheimer's disease and determine its severity. There are many confounding factors within those assessments, medical professionals need to bear in mind the pitfalls when evaluating the data and the patient.