Cognitive Log
What It Measures
The Cognitive Log (Cog-Log) is a brief bedside measure of thinking ability designed to be repeated — daily if needed — so a rehabilitation team can watch cognition recover rather than take a single snapshot. It was built as the companion to the Orientation Log (O-Log), which tracks orientation alone.
Ten items cover the three hardest orientation questions from the O-Log plus seven others: recalling an address immediately and later, counting backward from 20, reciting the months in reverse, estimating 30 seconds, copying a hand sequence, and a go/no-go task. Each is scored 0 to 3, for a total out of 30. Partial credit is the point — a correct answer after a cue still earns points, which keeps the scale from bottoming out early in recovery.
Further Reading
Additional Notes
Licensing Notes: The form and administration instructions are posted free by the Center for Outcome Measurement in Brain Injury (COMBI).
Learn More: The two logs work as a sequence. The O-Log is typically started on admission; the Cog-Log is added once the O-Log reaches 25, and can replace it entirely after two consecutive O-Log scores of 25 or higher. A Cog-Log cut-off of 25 out of 30 correctly classified 88% of people into brain injury versus non-injured groups.
