[Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE): Normative data for the Rosario Metropolitan Area, Argentina].

INTRODUCTION It is estimated that population aging will continue to rise over the next few years, increasing cases of cognitive impairment. This requires having short, reliable and low-cost tests aimed at the early detection of cognitive disorders. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a widely used test that allows an initial screening of cognitive disorders. Regarding this test, there is no normative data for the Rosario Metropolitan Area, Argentina, in elderly subjects. OBJECTIVE Obtain normative values for the MMSE test (language Spanish rioplatense version) in inhabitants of the Rosario Metropolitan Area, with ages 50 years and older. MATERIALS AND METHODS The MMSE was administered to 1126 subjects in the context of a campaign to prevent cognitive impairment. When applying the exclusion criteria, the sample was reduced to 824 subjects. RESULTS Schooling and age influence the performance of the test, while gender had no incidence. The means and standard deviations are reported according to levels of schooling and age ranges. CONCLUSIONS These norms indicate an unprecedented local frame of reference for the purpose of researching cognitive disorders in subjects 50 years of age and older.