MMSE Reference

Brief cognitive screening, widely used. Less sensitive than MoCA for MCI but faster. This is a reference guide — formal use requires licensed materials.

Indication

Brief cognitive screening, widely used. Less sensitive than MoCA for MCI but faster. This is a reference guide — formal use requires licensed materials.

Clinical pearls

Education significantly affects MMSE scores — expect lower scores with limited education without dementia
MMSE is copyrighted and technically requires licensing for formal use
A single cutoff of 24 misses many MCI patients — trend over time is more valuable
Use MoCA when available for more sensitive MCI detection

Source and review

Folstein MF et al. J Psychiatr Res 1975. Last reviewed: 2025-01-01