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Printed on 4/21/2026
For informational purposes only. This is not medical advice.
The Global Deterioration Scale (Reisberg GDS) is a broad staging framework for progressive cognitive decline, especially in Alzheimer-type trajectories. It classifies severity from stage 1 (no cognitive decline) to stage 7 (very severe decline) and is commonly used for clinical communication, prognosis framing, and care planning.
Formula: Stage-based classification from 1 to 7 (non-additive stage scale).
Reisberg GDS is a long-standing dementia progression framework used in both research and clinical care for stage communication.
Higher GDS stages indicate greater severity of cognitive decline and higher caregiving/support needs.
Use in dementia evaluation and follow-up to standardize severity communication, prognosis context, and care-level planning.
GDS reflects generalized progression patterns and may be less precise in non-Alzheimer or mixed etiologies without complementary assessment.
For related assessments, see CDR Global, FAST Dementia and SLUMS Score.
Disclaimer: This tool is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with questions about your health.
Classify dementia severity with the Clinical Dementia Rating global stage (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3).
GeriatricsClassify functional dementia progression using FAST stages 1 through 7f.
GeriatricsClassify SLUMS cognitive-screen totals (0-30) to support triage for fuller neurocognitive evaluation.
Mental HealthInterpret Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores. The leading cognitive screening tool for mild cognitive impairment and dementia.