[Use of behavioral scales in the diagnosis of dementia in the aged].

The authors present their own experience with the use of the behavioural scale elaborated by Blessed, Tomlinson and Roth usually called Blessed Dementia Scale-BS. They examined 76 patients (59 dementia, 17 with major depression, aged 57 - 87 years (mean age 70.3 +/- 7.2 years). The results obtained by BS were compared with WAIS-R, Wechsler's memory scale (WMS) and the MSE cognitive scale (Knopman et al., 1985). They found that BS differentiates satisfactorily patients with dementia and major depression (dementia X = 8.16 +/- 5.4, depression X = 4.41 +/- 2.41, t = 4.07, p < 0,001). The results of examinations by means of BS correlate significantly inversely with the results of examinations of cognitive functions. The closest correlation is between the total BS score and MSE (r = -0.705, p < 0,001). It was confirmed that BS can be used in the diagnosis of dementia for the differential diagnosis of dementia and depressions. Evaluation of partial BS scores (associated with instrumental ADL, basic ADL and personality changes, drives and interests) provides information important for evaluation of the functional capacity of the patient and for the procedure after termination of in-patient treatment. It is important that the total BS score and the partial BS score is not influenced by the patients' age.