What is Mini-Cog?

The Mini-Cog is a three-minute screening test for memory and thinking problems that combines a three-word recall test with a scored clock-drawing test. The Alzheimer's Association lists it among the brief tools it recommends for primary care, noting that it can be used after brief training and that a health provider evaluates the results to decide whether a full diagnostic assessment is needed.

The Mini-Cog is scored out of 5. A 2024 systematic review in PLOS One explains that the person earns up to three points for the words they recall, plus points for the clock drawing, which is judged normal or abnormal. A total of 0 to 2 indicates a high likelihood of cognitive impairment and is the usual cut-off. A low score calls for further evaluation; it is not a diagnosis.

About three minutes. The Alzheimer's Association describes the Mini-Cog as a three-minute test, and a 2024 review in PLOS One says it takes three minutes or less, which suits busy primary care visits. The same review notes that the MoCA and MMSE take about 10 minutes and carry copyright restrictions, while the Mini-Cog is freely available to use.

The Mini-Cog is used to screen older adults for possible cognitive impairment, such as dementia or mild cognitive impairment, so doctors know who needs a fuller evaluation. The Alzheimer's Association recommends brief tools like it for detecting cognitive problems during the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit. Anyone who fails a screen like this should be evaluated further or referred to a specialist for a definitive diagnosis.

Reasonably, for a three-minute screen. A 2024 meta-analysis in PLOS One found the Mini-Cog correctly flagged 76% of people with dementia and correctly cleared 83% of people without it. In primary care, it caught 73% of people with mild impairment or dementia. The authors called it a practical, freely available tool, but a screen cannot diagnose dementia, so a positive result needs a full evaluation.