La batterie BACÂ 40Â : un outil d'évaluation cognitive pour le diagnostic de la maladie d'Alzheimer au cabinet du spécialiste

BAC 40 is a “composite” battery of psychometric tests useful for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's dementia. It was elaborated using the modified Mini-Mental Status (MMS). The advantage is to establish a diagnosis in less than 20 minutes, exploring all the sectors of cognitive life. This tool was validated in a control population of 103 aged normal subjects and in 97 patients living at home or in institution and attending a neurology outpatient clinic for a memory complain. The scores obtained with “BAC 40” and the “ADAS-COG SCALE” were compared in all patients. The statistical analysis demonstrated a good correlation between the two scales, with a Spearman coefficient of −0.72 for the controls, and −0.90 for the patients. Cutoff values were determined below which a pathologic dementia process can be highly suspected. Score variations according to different parameters, and particularly in function of age, are given.