Duhaime's Law Dictionary Global Deterioration Scale Definition: A psychiatric tool charting stages of dementia. Related Terms: Dementia, ADEPT - Advanced Dementia Prognostic Tool Also known as GDS.See also Folstein MMSE. The Global Deterioration Scale is a useful and frequent tool of medical evidence in adult guardianship cases.In a 1982 article which introduced the tool, the American Psychiatry Association described the Global Deterioration Scale as follows: "Cognitive decline associated with old age and consistent with the diagnosis of primary degenerative dementia is a unique clinical syndrome with characteristic phenomena and progression. (The) Global Deterioration Scale (is) for the assessment of primary degenerative dementia and delineation of its stages ... against behavioral, neuroanatomic, and neurophysiologic measures in patients with primary degenerative dementia."The scale sets out seven (7) stages:Normal;Objectively normal but complaints of mild memory loss;\Mild cognitive impairmentEarly dementiaModerate dementiaModerately severe dementia; andSevere dementia.According to the GDS, the ability to, live independently is compromised as of the 4th stage. "Complex care" is the usual care for those in stages 6 or 7. REFERENCES:Duhaime, Lloyd, Duhaime's Legal Dictionary Duhaime, Lloyd, Duhaime's Legal Citations & Abbreviations Reisberg, B., and others, The Global Deterioration Scale for Assessment of Primary Degenerative Dementia, 139 Am J Psychiatry 1136 (1982) Categories & Topics: Duhaime & Naysmith Medical-Legal Dictionary Duhaime's Tort and Personal Injury Law Dictionary Duhaime's Trusts, Wills, Estates and Probate Law Dictionary Always looking up definitions? Save time with our search provider (modern browsers only) If you find an error or omission in Duhaime's Law Dictionary, or if you have suggestion for a legal term, we'd love to hear from you!