Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE-III or ACE-R) - (The Short Form)
What It Measures
Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III (ACE-III) is a pen-and-paper cognitive screening test used when dementia is suspected. A clinician walks the person through short tasks — naming the date, recalling a name and address, listing animals, naming pictures, copying a cube, drawing a clock — across five domains: attention, memory, verbal fluency, language, and visuospatial ability.
The total is scored out of 100, with higher scores indicating better cognitive functioning. Two cut-offs are recommended for suspicion of dementia: 88 and 82, with the choice depending on whether the setting needs higher sensitivity or higher specificity. Three alternate versions rotate the memory items so people do not learn them across repeat visits. A screening score is a starting point, not a diagnosis.
Further Reading
Additional Notes
Licensing Notes: The ACE-III is available free of charge. Copyright is held by Professor John Hodges, who permits use in clinical practice and research
