Online, At-Home & Clinical Tests for Alzheimer’s, Dementia & Aging-Related Mental Decline

Introduction and Caution

Question-and-answer tests can play an important role when it comes to assessing people who may be developing Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. When used at home, these tests can help families decide if it’s time to seek a professional opinion. When used by professionals, these tests can be part of the diagnostic process. However, question-and-answer tests should never be the only means of diagnosis whether they are used at home or in an office.

A full diagnosis of dementia requires several medical experts, as well as expensive technology and potentially unpleasant procedures such as brain scans and spinal fluid extractions. A 2018 study showed that dementia is often misclassified when question-and-answer tests are the only means of diagnosis.

As for online tests for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia, caution is strongly advised. Here are three key tips:

1. No online test can definitively tell if you or your loved one has Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Do not believe any website saying otherwise.
2. Do not pay for an Alzheimer’s test advertised online. More than likely, these paid tests are not valid and can be scams. Instead, use one of the many free tests produced by universities, nonprofits, and reputable medical institutions that are available online, including some that are linked below.
3. Some online tests are simply advertisements for brain-training products masked as tests. They still may be valid, but users should be aware that the test provider is trying to sell a product or service.

As long as the limitations of questions-and-answer tests are understood, they can be a valuable tool when it comes to assessing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. As mentioned above, they can tell family members, or patients themselves, when it’s time see a doctor. They can help tell the difference between the normal forgetfulness that comes with aging and more severe impairments like Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s or other dementias. And they can help differentiate the stages of dementia.

This article details the different kinds of dementia tests. For an online dementia test with questions for the caregiver, start here. For a test with questions asked of the person with symptoms, start here.

At-Home Tests for Alzheimer’s & Dementia

These are five of the most common tests for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias that can be taken at home. Some can be taken alone, others require the help of a family member or friend, and some are meant only for loved ones or caregivers familiar with the patient.

Again, all of these tests are only meant to assess if further evaluation is needed. The results are not to be used as a diagnosis of dementia.

Modified CDR Test

The Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) test was originally designed to be completed by a trained professional. However, the level of expertise required to completed the test has been modified so that a family member or someone familiar with the individual can answer six questions about the patient’s mental acuity and receive an immediate result. To be clear, this test questions loved ones or caregivers familiar with the individual showing symptoms, not the individual themselves.

Taking the modified CDR Test only takes about three minutes and requires no personal information. Of the tests described here, this is the fastest and easiest for family members to complete.

Take the modified CDR Test here.

SAGE Test

SAGE stands for Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination. It can detect early signs of memory loss and thinking impairments that may be symptoms of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. While the SAGE test can be taken alone or with the help of a family member or friend, its results should be taken to a physician to be properly evaluated.

The test was developed at The Ohio State University, and you can download the test at this school website. Learn more about the SAGE test by clicking here.

Mini-Cog

The Mini-Cog differs slightly from the SAGE Test because a test administrator is required and plays an active role. This test only takes about five minutes to administer and only one minute to score and interpret the results. The test administration role is not challenging, and no medical training is required. Instead of a series of questions, the test requires the subject to listen to three unrelated words, draw a clock, and then repeat the words. For this test, only the administrator views the examination materials, not the test taker.

Learn more or download the Mini-Cog here.

Clock-Drawing Test

Th clock-drawing test (or CDT) is included as a portion of the SAGE and Mini-Cog evaluations described above, but the test can also stand alone and be evaluated at home because it’s so simple. In essence, the person displaying possible signs of dementia is asked to draw an analog clock (the kind with hour and minute hands) at a certain time. Healthcare professionals may have detailed evaluations of the drawing, but if the clock-drawing test is taken at home the assessment is simple – if the clock is abnormal in any way, further testing is recommended.

More on the clock-drawing test.

Mini-Mental State Exam (At-Home Version)

The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) is the common tool for evaluating the severity of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. It’s a 30-question test that can be administered at home by loved ones or even taken alone. While the test and scoring are straightforward, having a medical professional interpret the results is recommended.

Download the MMSE from the National Institute of Health by clicking here, or read more about the MMSE here.

Clinical Tests for Alzheimer’s & Dementia

These three tests are administered in clinical settings.

Montreal Cognitive Assessment

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a 30-question exam that takes approximately 10 minutes. It’s similar to the MMSE discussed above, but the MoCA was developed 30 years after the MMSE and is meant to be administered and scored by professionals only. A 2015 study showed that the MoCA is especially effective at identifying early-stage dementia, mild cognitive impairment and dementia caused by Parkinson’s disease.  The MoCA includes the clock-drawing test and also has small tasks and exercises.

More on the MoCA.

Mini-Mental State Exam (Clinical Version)

The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) is more than 40 years old and is widely used by doctors and clinicians studying dementia. Its 30 questions cover orientation (knowing the time and place), short-term memory, attention span, problem solving, motor skills and language comprehension and expression (identifying common objects by name), and comprehension and motor skills. As mentioned above, the MMSE is the most common tool for assessing the severity of a person’s Alzheimer’s. However, it is not as effective as other tests when it comes to detecting if someone has dementia or is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s diseases.

More on the MMSE.

SLUMS

The St. Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) exam consists of 11 questions and is graded with a maximum of 30 points. It was developed as an alternative to the more common Mini-Mental State Exam. This exam is more complex than the MMSE and better at identifying mild cognitive impairment or dementia in its earliest stages. It tests memory and orientation, and it includes simple math and the clock-drawing test. The test is available online, but it’s intended to be administered and scored by a healthcare professional.

Comparison Table of Dementia Tests (Home & Clinical)

Other Testing

Question-and-answer tests are not the only ways to evaluate dementia patients or people exhibiting the symptoms. There are also blood tests and genetic tests. In the end, however, the only way to get a true diagnosis of dementia is through a medical evaluation. Learn more about the process of receiving a medical diagnosis.