Five simple tests that could indicate dementia – from standing on one leg to testing your smell
TO DIAGNOSE someone with dementia, doctors will usually perform a series of blood tests and brain scans while taking down a detailed history of symptoms.
But if you suspect you’re having problems with your memory and brain function, there are a few simple tests you can do at home which could indicate you have the disease.
Symptoms of dementia often become noticeable as it gets harder to follow along with daily life.
Increasing forgetfulness can make it harder to remember appointments, pay bills and find your way around familiar places.
As cognitive ability and communication are also affected, you may struggle to do and pay for your weekly shop or have trouble finding the right words for things.
If you suspect this may be happening to you or a loved one, you can use five simple tests, according to Dr Bing.
The board-certified neurologist, researcher and epidemiologist shared a video to his Instagram page detailing the tasks – which range from standing on one leg to testing out your drawing skills.
1. ‘Flamingo’ test
The first assessment tool on Dr Bing’s list was the single leg stand test – also referred to as the ‘flamingo test’.
It’s name is pretty self explanatory – lift one leg off the ground and see how long you can maintain your balance.
According to the neurologist, the test measures your balance and motor coordination.
“For those with two legs and no mobility issues, difficulty standing on one leg for at least 30 seconds has been linked to a higher risk of dementia and stroke.
“This is because it can reflect subtle deficits in brain areas controlling your balance and motor skills.”
Being able to nail a ‘flamingo’ stance can also be an indicator of how well you’re ageing overall, scientists say.
The study, carried out by the Mayo Clinic, found the amount of time you’re able to balance on one foot can indicate how strong your bones, muscles and nerves are – which are all signs of frailty.
Being frail can increase the risk of adverse health outcomes, including infections, difficulty recovering from surgery, and more falls.
2. Smell test
A poor sense of smell isn’t just a sign you’re coming down with a cold.
According to Dr Bing: “Early dementia often affects the smell centre of your brain.
“Problems with smell can indicate neurodegeneration”, he went on – this is a hallmark of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
In fact, research has linked smell loss to as many as 139 different conditions.
Scientists from the UC Irvine Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences in California say not being able to smell properly could be an early sign of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia and depression.
Ways to lower your risk of dementia
There are things you can do to reduce your own risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's.
No single behaviour is guaranteed to prevent dementia – but there’s lots of evidence to suggest that making tweaks to your lifestyle choices could affect your risk.
Dementia risk is lowest in people who have healthy behaviours in mid-life – from the age of 40 to 65 – according Alzheimer’s Society.
Here are a few easy changes you can make:
- Exercise regularly to boost your heart health and circulation and help maintain a healthy weight.
- Drink less alcohol – try to have no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, about one pint of beer or a small glass of wine each day. If you regularly drink much more than this, you are increasing your risk of damage to your brain and other organs, and so increasing your risk of dementia.
- Don’t smoke – it does a lot of harm to the circulation of blood around the body, particularly the blood vessels in the brain, as well as the heart and lungs.
- Engaging in social activities to help to build up your brain’s ability to relieve stress and improve your mood – depression and social isolation have both been linked to dementia.
- Manage health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, which can increase the risk of getting dementia.
- Protect your eyesight and hearing – vision loss increases a person’s risk of developing dementia. The same goes for hearing loss, which can also be an early symptom of dementia.
- Wear a helmet – as traumatic brain injuries can start a process in the brain where the substances that cause Alzheimer’s disease build up around the injured area.
Source: Alzheimer’s Society
Columbia University researchers suggest that people who are better at identifying what different smells are might be less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease.
Meanwhile, scientists from the University of Warwick hope to roll out a medical screening for the disease that tests people’s sense of smell and taste.
They said easy-to-use low-cost dispensers containing simulated flavour samples could be available in pharmacies, care homes and community centres.
3. Clock drawing test
Dr Bing’s third test was asking a patient to draw a clock with a specific time.
Trying to draw a clock from memory can be a quick way of assessing someone’s risk of dementia.
Though it sounds deceptively simple, the test actually assesses a number of different cognitive abilities at once – such as memory, visual-spatial ability, comprehension, motor skills and concentration.
“If somebody has difficulty with spatial organisation, attention and planning – such as people with Alzheimer’s disease – this task can be very difficult,” Dr Bing explained.
Drawing a lopsided circle or incorrectly placing numbers on the clock could indicate early signs of the condition.
4. Dual task gait test
Do you have problems multitasking, like speaking to someone and texting at the same time?
This isn’t a sign of dementia, but having difficulty walking while performing cognitive tasks might be.
The fourth test on Dr Bing’s list was the dual task gait test.
“This test looks at the ability to walk while performing a cognitive test, like counting backwards for example.
“Difficulty with this task can indicate problems with executive function, memory or attention.”
5. Verbal fluency test
Finally, changes to verbal fluency can be another indicator of dementia.
Dr Bing said: “An example of such a test is the category fluency test, where I ask a patient to name as many items as possible within a category – such as animals – in one minute.
“Difficulties in recalling words within a set time frame can indicate cognitive decline in certain regions of the brain, such as those affected by Alzheimer’s disease or frontotemporal dementia.”
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is an uncommon type of dementia that causes problems with behaviour and language.
Actor Bruce Willis was diagnosed with it after developing a stutter.