A prospective study of 35 patients with moderate or mild dementia of t
he Alzheimer type was performed to assess and compare their awareness
of time. A Mini-Mental Status Examination score was used to separate t
hose 16 patients with mild dementia (range, 15 to 24) from those 19 wi
th moderate dementia (range, 7 to 15). Each patient was scored on awar
eness of time. Those classified as moderate but not those with mild de
mentia showed significant loss of awareness of time.