Faster Screening for Dementia

Ivanhoe Newswire
Friday, November 3, 2006; 12:00 AM

By Lucy Williams, Ivanhoe Health Correspondent

ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- In just minutes, you can find out if an older friend or family member is suffering from mild cognitive decline.

Geriatric researchers at Saint Louis University School of Medicine have developed a test they say diagnoses dementia onset faster and better than previous tests. The Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination (SLUMS) screens for early cognitive decline by prompting patients to perform tasks, such as simple math, animal recognition and clock drawing.

"We looked at things that are more sensitive to predicting executive function problems. That was the main objective behind finding a new screen for mild cognitive disorder," lead author Syed Tariq, M.D., of Saint Louis University, told Ivanhoe. "We added things like the watch [clock drawing] and animal-naming and story-telling."

Physicians currently administer the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) to patients with suspected dementia. Unfortunately, Dr. Tariq says the MMSE is not effective at identifying early dementia, or mild neurocognitive disorder. Both tests detect dementia, but he says only the SLUMS detects early cognitive decline symptoms.

One benefit of the SLUMS is it's a fast screening method. The test lasts between five minutes and seven minutes and indicates whether further dementia testing should be pursued. Patients can be diagnosed with cognitive decline during the first doctor's visit. MMSE requires a follow-up screening.

The SLUMS is also accessible to the public. The MMSE is copyrighted, which means it's not as accessible to people who could benefit from dementia screening. Dr. Tariq said, "SLUMS is open to the public, and anyone can use it. It's not copyrighted."

To view the SLUMS online, visit: http://medschool.slu.edu/agingsuccessfully/pdfsurveys/slumsexam_05.pdf

This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.

SOURCE: Ivanhoe interview with Syed Tariq, M.D., Saint Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis; The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry Nov. 2006;14:900-910