A simple test of 60 seconds can help discover if you run the risk of robbing memory, research suggests.
The test, which only requires a pen, paper and timer, can pick up early signs of cognitive decline that is considered a precursor of dementia.
It is about choosing a large category, with common examples are types of fruit, types of animals or TV shows.
A person then tries to write down so many examples that they can think of within the assigned time.
Experts say that you should be able to mention at least 15 items and ideally more than 21.
A 2007 study published in the Journal of Psychiatry, said that: ‘If he or she cannot mention 15 or more objects, the patient will probably be cognitively affected and the chance that he or she has Alzheimer’s disease can be 20 times higher than if a patient can call 15 animals or more.
A study from 2022 of 69 adults by American researchers showed that scores in the test became lower as people get older.
But crucial poorer performance was related to the levels of amyloid-β in the body, which is considered a sign of Alzheimer’s.
A simple test of 60 seconds can help discover if you run the risk of robbing memory, research suggests
Dementia is a memory distribution that teases nearly 1 million British and 7 million Americans
Other similar tests can also be used to identify possible signs of dementia. One of the most famous is the analog clock test.
It is about asking a person to pull a clock face on an empty piece of paper.
They must add all numbers from one to 12 and then set their hands at a specific time, for example 11.10 (ten after 11).
The task is based on the patient who remembers what a clock face looks like – a skill that is known as Executive Function, where we plan tasks, organize and complete tasks.
Executive function is one of the cognitive skills that starts to falter for the first time when dementia develops.
Used for decades used by the NHS, a crooked circle and incorrectly placed numbers on this clock can indicate early signs of the condition.
If the patient succeeds in drawing a clock correctly, the dementia excludes dementia because the task requires a wide range of cognitive skills, the NHS says.
It is currently assumed that around 900,000 British have the memory robber disorder. But the scientists from the University College London estimate that this will rise to 1.7 million within two decades
However, if they struggle, they must ask further advice from a doctor.
Dementia is estimated to affect a million people in the UK, where Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of the condition.
The recent analysis of the Alzheimer’s Society estimated that the total annual costs of dementia for the UK are £ 42 billion a year, with families with the victims.
An aging population means that these costs – which include lost income from unpaid carers – will rise to £ 90 billion in the next 15 years.
A separate UK analysis by Alzheimer’s showed that 74,261 people died of dementia in 2022 compared to 69.178 a year earlier, making it the largest murderer in the country.
Previous studies have estimated that around 40 percent of all dementia cases can be prevented with changes in lifestyle.
This includes healthier diets, increased exercise, less alcohol drinking, the prevention of head injuries and the use of hearing aids.
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