Final answer:
The mental status exam is the test that correlates most strongly with pre-morbid functioning in a patient with early dementia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The test that correlates most strongly with pre-morbid functioning in a patient with early dementia is the mental status exam. This exam assesses cognitive abilities and includes subtests to evaluate orientation and memory, language and speech, sensorium, and judgment and abstract reasoning. In particular, memory functions, which are associated with the temporal lobe, including the hippocampus and amygdala, provide valuable information about pre-morbid functioning.