DIAGNOSIS
Quick test for dementia
Researchers at the Geneva University Hospitals have developed a simple, precise diagnostic test for dementia.
If you can’t explain finding your keys in the fridge, it could be an early sign of dementia. | Photo: Jens Gyarmaty / Keystone
Misplaced keys and a missing watch: these are part of a simple test for dementia based on everyday situations that has now been extensively validated by the Memory Center at the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG). Researchers hide three objects in three different places in front of a person who then has to name them and say where to find them. They conducted this test with over 2,000 patients and compared the results with neuropsychological assessments and diagnostic brain scans.
They found that their test correctly detected dementia with over 90 percent accuracy. “It’s thus well suited for rapid assessment, for example in telemedicine or in areas with limited access to specialised medical services”, says the lead author Federica Ribaldi. An early diagnosis is important, not least since it can make preventive measures more effective.
