Cognitive Testing
Cognitive Screening at Deter Dementia
Cognitive assessments play a role in helping one better understand their overall brain health. It can help identify areas of strength and other areas to work on. Neuroplasticity is the ability of our brain cells (neurons) to adjust in various ways over time. This may involve increasing connections, strengthening existing connections, or even creating new neurons.
The scientific literature has proven that neuroplasticity remains throughout one’s life although more effort is needed to ‘improve’ one’s brain as we get older.
By better understanding the areas of our brain that can be further improved, we can focus our efforts to focus on areas such as short-term memory, attention, language, visuospatial skills, or many other domains.
Here at Deter Dementia we want you to have the best understanding of your brain health so you can have the best opportunity to keep your brain healthy and strong for decades to come. We offer you formal cognitive testing that is evidence-based and has been proven through research studies to both accurately assess brain function but also has been shown to improve brian function with ongoing participation.
By joining us at Deter Dementia we will provide you customized solutions including strategies to optimize your own individual needs when it comes to brain health. Join us today and help us Prevent, Preserve, and Prosper.
Cognitive Testing for Adults to Determine the Risk of Dementia
Dementia is a syndrome characterized by cognitive dysfunction with meaningful functional impact. Cognitive changes are thus the cornerstone of this disease. Changes in cognition often occur gradually over time but can even occur rapidly in some situations.
These changes then go on to affect the daily routine for people in many aspects of their lives. One of the methods to help diagnose brain health and look for signs of cognitive decline is through structured neuro-cognitive testing. Neuro-cognitive testing for dementia can be helpful to better understand the impact of dementia on the brain.
Cognitive testing for dementia, also termed dementia cognitive tests, are of several types. These tests are not just limited to diagnosis of dementia, but they also aid in determining the changes in cognitive ability over the time in otherwise healthy individuals. Changes in cognitive test results can be for many reasons including age, prior brain injury, or various other health conditions. Some aspects of a cognitive assessment can be done by evaluating a person through simple everyday tasks.
However, formal cognitive tests are performed in controlled situations, often in the presence of a medical expert to help supervise the administration of the assessment.
Can a Cognitive Performance Test Identify Dementia?
Cognitive testing alone cannot diagnose dementia and is not always an accurate measure of the extent of the disease in a person who has already been diagnosed. The testing results need to be interpreted in the context of an individual’s overall health situation. One needs to account for medications taken, current medical state, possible acute medical issues, language and educational background as well as other factors.
Consequently, the diagnosis of dementia cannot be made solely based on the results of these tests. These tests or assessments are used as supportive information in addition to many other health factors to help diagnose and subsequently treat those with cognitive impairment.
There are several formal cognitive assessments used for those with cognitive concerns including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS), and others. The information obtained from cognitive testing can assist you and your family in making future care plans and better understanding the extent of disease when interpreted in the right context.
Symptoms of Cognitive Impairment
Those with cognitive concerns can have a wide variety of symptoms. These can include:
- Frequent forgetfulness of important dates and events
- Repeating things multiple times
- Difficulty finding the right word
- Challenges identifying people they would usually know
- Forgetting past events
- Being more easily disoriented
- Losing focus easily
All of these symptoms may point towards cognitive challenges and a possible decline in the brain’s ability to work optimally. Clinical assessment and cognitive screening would be advised in such conditions to determine the root cause and also the right treatment plans.
Types of Cognitive Tests for Dementia
One tool that doctors use to evaluate patients with cognitive impairment or dementia is a formal cognitive test. These assessments can be initial tests to get an idea of any objective deficits or help track possible progression of a disease. They can measure the impact of the disease on the brain and what aspects of the brain are being affected.
Evaluating the cognitive testing for dementia scores, a medical professional can generate a statement on the extent and stage of dementia in many cases. Cognitive tests can have many different aspects and some include:
- Ability to recognize familiar faces or places
- Being attentive and able to communicate
- Ability to recall short-term and long-term past events
- Extent of concentration and focus
- Problem solving skills
- Simple math skills
- Visual and auditory skills
- Ability to follow instructions
All of these tests are performed by a professional medical expert who knows the type of questions to ask and the criteria to judge the response. A cognitive test comprises of a series of questions that are asked verbally and the responses to each question/assessment are added up to determine a final score.
| Mini-Mental State Examination | The most commonly administered cognitive test is the Mini-Mental State Examination. Developed in the 1970s, it assesses a variety of cognitive domains. This includes language, orientation, registration, attention, recall, and visuospatial skills. It is considered a fairly basic cognitive assessment and is scored out of 30. It usually takes about 10 minutes to administer but timing can vary based on several factors. The resulting score is a rough guide regarding cognitive function but, like all cognitive tests, must be interpreted in the context of the person as a whole to make a diagnosis. |
| Montreal Cognitive Assessment | Another common formal cognitive assessment tool is the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The MoCA became more widely used around 2005 and was designed to help diagnose mild cognitive impairment.
It is also scored out of 30 and is considered a more challenging assessment than the MMSE. It is often used for those with milder cognitive changes or those with a higher baseline cognitive function. It will generally take longer than the MMSE to complete, usually 10-20 minutes. |
| Mini-Cog | This is a quick screening exam that takes just a few minutes to complete. A patient is given two tasks to complete: the clock drawing exam and the three-word registration and recall test. The individual will be told three words to remember. These three words are then to be recalled after the clock drawing assessment. Drawing a clock entails putting all the numbers and the prescribed time on a clock face, as indicated by the clinician. The score is a quick screen to see whether one is at higher risk of cognitive impairment. The purpose of cognitive testing for adults and elderly is to identify the possible risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment or other forms of cognitive impairment, including dementia. Cognitive testing for dementia pricing will vary based on where you are being assessed. Most clinicians will include it as part of their consultation for cognitive impairment. The focus of all individuals should be on preserving their cognitive function using proactive and evidence-based strategies. Please explore our site for more information and consider joining us for some ongoing educational materials and advice. Let’s work together and Prevent, Preserve, and Prosper. |
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There are many ways to assess your cognition and brain health. We use formal cognitive testing to help determine your overall brain health which is the most reliable method to assess our complex brain function.
Using evidence-based assessments that can help determine different types of cognitive deficits, we will provide you with an in-depth analysis of your cognitive function.
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