Dementia test: check signs of illness with seven questions

Dementia can develop gradually. However, if there is an initial suspicion, a test can be carried out before visiting the doctor.

There are different forms of dementia, the best known is probably Alzheimer's. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, Alzheimer's is also the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60 to 65 percent. About 440,000 people in Germany suffer from dementia every year, and in most cases there is no cure. Since the disease develops slowly, a clear diagnosis is often difficult at the beginning. However, if relatives suspect that a person around them suffers from dementia, for example because they often forget things, then a test can also help before a medical examination.

It is best to detect the disease as early as possible

The sooner dementia is treated, the better. © Scott Griessel/Imago

If it is possible to diagnose dementia at an early stage, better treatment is possible. Although the disease is almost never curable, the right medication delays the progression of the disease. Typical first signs of dementia are, for example:

• Regularly occurring memory lapses
• Language barriers
• Orientation difficulties
• Lack of drive
• Misjudgement of dangers
• Mood

It takes courage to talk to those affected about their illness. This is because patients often react negatively and do not want to see a doctor. In such cases, it can help to document the weaknesses that occur over a longer period of time. In this way, the sick person also sees after some time that it makes sense to act.

A test consisting of seven instructions can also be helpful. To do this, you need to sit down with the person who may be ill, have a pen and a piece of paper ready. This mini-test was designed by neurologist Dorothee Saur from Leipzig University Hospital, as she explained to the Bild newspaper.

A test that helps with early detection

If you have a piece of paper and a pen ready, you're ready to go. First of all, the alleged patient must memorize three terms: lemon, hammer, blue. In the second step, the person concerned should be able to subtract seven from the number 100 and correctly state the result 93.

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As a third test, the relative asks for the current date. In step four, the person concerned must be able to repeat the numbers 1609, 21,538 and 349,267. In the fifth task, the presumed patient has to recite the digits 148, 2903, 32517 backwards. In step six, the person concerned must remember the three terms of the first question. In last place is now the so-called watch test. To do this, the person in question draws a circle on a piece of paper. He or she must now enter the appropriate digits of the clock on this circle and draw the correct time with a large and small hand.

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Short-term memory tested

The naming of the sequence of numbers serves to activate short-term memory. It is important that at the end the person can still name the three terms from the beginning without errors. If this is a challenge, you should definitely seek medical advice. Also, if the person can no longer paint the clock correctly and swaps the numbers. Of course, a diagnosis cannot be made via the test, but it does give a clue.

This article contains only general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It is in no way a substitute for a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.