Cognitive Screening
Cognitive health is like any other health maintenance. You get your heart and prostate checked out regularly, especially if there are suspected problems. Your brain deserves the same attention - Julie Brody-Magid PsyD
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image by: Pima Council On Aging
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Screening for cognitive dysfunction
After a certain age almost everyone experiences "senior moments." You forget what someone just said, or you can't recall someone's name even when the face appears clearly in your mind. Maybe you forgot to put out the recycling even though you were certain you did. Most of the time, we brush these episodes off as signs of normal aging. But what if they become more frequent or problematic, or if they affect your daily life — like missing a doctor's appointment or forgetting to pay a bill? What are your options?
Resources
Test Your Cognitive Function
Check your brain health in 15 mins. BrainTest® the first digital, scientifically proven, at-home screening test (similar to the paper one you’d get at the doctor’s office) that’s uniquely designed to detect early stage changes in brain function associated with Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, and Mild Cognitive Impairment.
Biden is resistant to taking a cognitive test. Try a short one yourself
This isn’t a real cognitive test, but it should give you an understanding of how simple screenings work.
Should Biden take a cognitive test? Here’s what it would — and wouldn’t — tell us
An abnormal result on a cognitive test doesn’t necessarily mean that a patient has a true cognitive problem. In about 10% of cases, it can be chalked up to a side effect of medications, an infection, a thyroid problem, a vitamin deficiency, a mood disorder such as anxiety or depression, or something else that’s reversible.
Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults: Screening
For asymptomatic, community-dwelling adults 65 years and older: I statement The USPSTF found that the evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for cognitive impairment in older adults. More research is needed.
Free Cognitive Tests for Older Adults and Caregivers to Assess Memory
There are free cognitive tests for older adults and caregivers that can help you understand if your loved one is showing any actual signs, or if they are just forgetful. We want to emphasize that these are not actually diagnostic, and they shouldn’t be treated as strictly medical. But they are meant to show if there are signs, to prompt a follow-up visit to a medical professional. But mostly, they are meant to start taking away guesswork, bravado, or fear. They’re meant to start showing you the truth.
Is It Time to Start Testing Presidential Candidates for Cognitive Decline?
When asked if people should be concerned about the advanced age of the top tier of the political class, Mark Fisher, the University of California, Irvine neurology professor who was the lead author on that paper, said, "This is a very legitimate question, and should not be dismissed as 'ageism.'"
Medical experts decline to endorse cognitive screening for older adults
A leading group of medical experts is declining to endorse cognitive screening for older adults, fueling a debate that has simmered for years. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said Tuesday it could neither recommend nor oppose screening because there was insufficient scientific evidence of the practice’s benefits and harms. The task force called for more research to address that gap.
SAGE: A Simple Window on Cognitive Function
Self-administered online tests are a dime a dozen. But one of the simplest has shown itself an effective tool for showing you something about what's going on with your most complex organ.
A Simple DIY Short-Term Memory Experiment
This quick short-term memory test is a simple psychology experiment you can try at home. You can do this experiment on your own or with a small group of volunteers. By seeing how many words you can memorize in a brief period of time, you can learn more about both the capacity and duration of short-term memory.
Alzheimer's Screenings Often Left Out Of Seniors' Wellness Exams
"This cognitive assessment should be part of every senior's annual wellness visit," says Keith Fargo, director of scientific programs and outreach for the Alzheimer's Association. "But we're seeing that it's simply not happening."
I failed — at age 34 — the now-politicized Montreal Cognitive Assessment
One sunny day in October 2016, I failed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). That’s the test pundits are having a field day with because it’s probably the one President Trump recently bragged that he “aced.”
It is becoming easier, cheaper and quicker to diagnose dementia
Some of the reasons for non-diagnosis, however, may be about to change. During the covid-19 pandemic many people have delayed consulting their doctors about non-urgent conditions, and as lockdowns ease, they may begin to ask for professional guidance (moreover, evidence suggests that covid itself heightens the risk of dementia). In addition, diagnostic techniques, hitherto unreliable, time-consuming and costly, are becoming available, and for some forms of dementia hopes are emerging of more effective treatments.
New Push For Early Testing, Treatment for Dementia
A new push is under way to improve screening and follow-up care for patients with dementia, the devastating loss of brain function that impairs memory, thinking, language, judgment and behavior.
Routine cognitive screening can help detect early signs of dementia
It took five years for Diane’s family to realize her dad’s behavior was not “normal aging” and by then he was past the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease. For Nora, it wasn’t until her dad was admitted to a hospital that he received a diagnosis, several years after showing some symptoms.
Screening at home for memory loss: Should you try it?
The test, the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination (SAGE), has compared favorably to clinician-administered tests such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), as well as to standard neuropsychological testing. What was not known, however, is how well SAGE would be able to predict who would develop Alzheimer's disease or another cause of dementia.
Should Aging Government Leaders Have to Pass Cognitive Tests to Serve?
“Would it be reasonable to have, for Supreme Court Justices, members of Congress and leadership positions in the executive branch, an annual sort of evaluation in which they would have to establish, ‘Yes, I’m doing okay?'” Cassidy continued, noting he had heard of Senators who were “senile” at the end of their terms. “I think that’s actually a reasonable plan.”
Signs of dementia may be detectable nine years before diagnosis – study
The findings raise the possibility that, in the future, at-risk people could be screened to help select those who could benefit from interventions, or help identify patients suitable for clinical trials for new treatments.
Smartphone app could help detect early-onset dementia cause, study finds
App-based cognitive tests found to be proficient at detecting frontotemporal dementia in those most at risk.
Take Trump's Cognitive Test to See If You're a 'Very Stable Genius' Too
The president aced it, but that doesn't mean he's "like, really smart." It just means he can draw a cube.
Tell us: would you take a test for possible dementia?
A new computerised test claims it will accurately assess a patient’s risk of dementia. Would you take it?
The Clock Drawing Task: Common Errors and Functional Neuroanatomy
Clock-drawing is a simple and effective test for assessing functional neuropsychiatric status. In this extensive review, the authors provide detailed information on processing and interpreting results of this "bedside" task, showing specific examples of difficulties noted and their diagnostic implications. As a complement to the MMSE, clock-drawing can yield predictive data in cases as varied as stroke, TBI, and hepatic encephalopathy.
Trump aced the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Here’s what that means
The newly famous cognitive test, explained.
Usefulness of short tests in dementia screening
There are no ideal screening tests. The election of the most appropriate will depend on the physician's time and knowledge of each test. It is advisable to be familiar with a reduced number of tests, and be aware of their strengths and limitations. Finally, we suggest personal recommendations for the most useful tests in each clinical setting.
What cognitive tests can show—and what they can’t
They don’t diagnose health problems. A bad score is just a red flag that indicates a need for further testing to see if there is a health problem and uncover what kind, said Dr. James Galvin, a neurologist at the University of Miami. A good score usually is good news. But the highly educated especially tend to be good test-takers even if cognitive trouble is starting to brew. So if someone scores OK yet they, a family member or the doctor sees some day-to-day concern, more testing still could be warranted.
Screening for cognitive dysfunction
Worried about recurring mental lapses? Simple cognitive tests can help determine if there's a problem.
45 Years of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE): A perspective from ibero-america
The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was created by Marshal Folstein et al. in 1975 as an instrument for brief (5–10 min) assessment of mental status in hospitalized patients. It is considered the most widely used test for standardized cognitive assessment in the clinical setting, especially with the elderly population. It has countless translations in different languages, and according to the different international (PubMed) and regional (SciELO, Redalyc, and Dialnet) scientific databases, it has been widely used by the scientific community.
MemTrax
Take the #1 test doctors & researchers trust. Early detection of brain problems with visualized results to help you spot warning signs, before its too late. MemTrax™ is quick, simple, and can be used anywhere - anytime.
Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE)
The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a tool that can be used to systematically and thoroughly assess mental status. It is an 11-question measure that tests five areas of cognitive function: orientation, registration, attention and calculation, recall, and language. The maximum score is 30. A score of 23 or lower is indicative of cognitive impairment. The MMSE takes only 5-10 minutes to administer and is therefore practical to use repeatedly and routinely.
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
The Montreal Cognitive Assessment MoCA is a brief cognitive screening tool for Mild Cognitive Impairment.
SAGE
The Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam (SAGE) is designed to detect early signs of cognitive, memory or thinking impairments. It evaluates your thinking abilities and helps physicians to know how well your brain is working.
Clock Drawing Test
Screening test for cognitive dysfunction secondary to dementia, delirium, or a range of neurological and psychiatric illnesses.
Mini-Cog
The Mini-Cog© is a fast and simple screening test to help detect dementia in its early stages. In just 3 minutes, Mini-Cog© can help doctors and other professional care providers identify possible cognitive impairment in older patients. The Mini-Cog assessment instrument combines an uncued 3-item recall test with a clock-drawing test (CDT). The Mini-Cog can be administered in about 3 minutes, requires no special equipment, and is relatively uninfluenced by level of education or language variations.
Short Term Memory Test
Measure your short-term memory abilities with this test.
Cognistat
Cognistat is the #1 choice of neuropsychologists for cognitive screening in the US and Canada.
Cognitive Assessment Toolkit
A guide to detecting cognitive impairment during the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit.
Cognivue
Our mission is to provide cognitive assessment tools to a broad range of healthcare providers for the early detection of cognitive impairment. Early detection allows patients to address modifiable risk factors sooner, potentially changing the course of cognitive decline. It also allows healthcare providers to develop a plan with the patient and caregiver, so the patient can live their best life during their journey.

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