| Abstract: | A random community sample of 1070 subjects aged over 65 was interviewed by trained non-medical interviewers using the Geriatric Mental State, community version (GMSA). A sub-sample of 126 subjects was selected so as to contain possible early cases of dementia, pseudo-dementia, and normal subjects; and re-interviewed, a mean 1 year and 23 weeks later, by a group of psychiatrists in training. The computer diagnosis AGECAT, based on GMSA applied by non-medical raters, had predicted at initial interview, nine out of twelve cases of dementia at follow-up and five out of nine borderline cases. An Organic/Depression Index may prove useful in predicting which of those cases with early organic levels will eventually develop dementia, depression or recover. |
