Clinical Dementia Rating
Encyclopedia
The Clinical Dementia Rating or CDR is a numeric scale used to quantify the severity of symptom
s of dementia
(i.e. its 'stage').
Using a structured-interview protocol developed by John C. Morris and colleagues at Washington University School of Medicine
, a qualified health professional assesses a patient's cognitive and functional performance in six areas: memory
, orientation
, judgment & problem solving
, community affairs, home & hobbies, and personal care. Scores in each of these are combined to obtain a composite score ranging from 0 through 3.
Qualitative equivalences are as follows:
CDR is credited with being able to discern very mild impairments, but its weaknesses include the amount of time it takes to administer, its ultimate reliance on subjective assessment, and relative inability to capture changes over time.
Symptom
A symptom is a departure from normal function or feeling which is noticed by a patient, indicating the presence of disease or abnormality...
s of dementia
Dementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
(i.e. its 'stage').
Using a structured-interview protocol developed by John C. Morris and colleagues at Washington University School of Medicine
Washington University School of Medicine
Washington University School of Medicine , located in St. Louis, Missouri, is one of the graduate schools of Washington University in St. Louis. One of the top medical schools in the United States, it is currently ranked 4th for research according to U.S. News and World Report and has been listed...
, a qualified health professional assesses a patient's cognitive and functional performance in six areas: memory
Memory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
, orientation
Orientation (mental)
Orientation is a function of the mind involving awareness of three dimensions: time, place and person. Problems with orientation lead to disorientation, and can be due to various conditions, from delirium to intoxication...
, judgment & problem solving
Problem solving
Problem solving is a mental process and is part of the larger problem process that includes problem finding and problem shaping. Consideredthe most complex of all intellectual functions, problem solving has been defined as higher-order cognitive process that requires the modulation and control of...
, community affairs, home & hobbies, and personal care. Scores in each of these are combined to obtain a composite score ranging from 0 through 3.
Qualitative equivalences are as follows:
| Composite Rating | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| 0 | none |
| 0.5 | very mild |
| 1 | mild |
| 2 | moderate |
| 3 | severe |
CDR is credited with being able to discern very mild impairments, but its weaknesses include the amount of time it takes to administer, its ultimate reliance on subjective assessment, and relative inability to capture changes over time.