Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSSelf test developed for early-stage dementia
A five-minute self test for early-stage dementia has been devised by Cambridge scientists on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust.
Research at Addenbrooke’s Hospital published in the BMJ claims that the test, called Test Your Memory, is significantly faster and more accurate than current tests.
It includes measuring the ability to copy a sentence, knowledge of semantics, being able to do calculation, verbal fluency and recall ability.
They carry a 50 maximum score, with healthy individuals scoring an average of 47 and taking five minutes to complete the test, which is also suitable for non-specialist use.
Says Rebecca Wood, boss of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust: ‘This new memory test is a big step forward in efforts to spot the early signs of dementia. It works well on people of all social classes and educational backgrounds.
‘Two-thirds of the 700,000 people in the UK with dementia remain undiagnosed, which is why the Alzheimer’s Research Trust funded this significant study.’
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