Test Your Memory

There is a new test out for Alzheimer’s self exams. It’s quicker, and more effective than previously available tests.The TYM, (test your memory), exam can detect early onset Alzheimer’s in approximately five minutes. The exam goes over several basic skills, including the ability to copy a sentence, basic math, recall, and an understanding of how two things relate. Incredibly, in a clinical trial this exam indentified 93% of early onset Alzheimer’s patients. Links to the TYM, and comparable tests are provided.

An estimated 24 million people throughout the world have dementia and the number affected will double every 20 years. Early diagnosis is crucial to effective treatment, but there is no available short cognitive test that is quick to use, examines various skills, and is sensitive to Alzheimer's disease.

So researchers at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge designed and evaluated a new cognitive test, the TYM ("test your memory"), in the detection of Alzheimer's disease. The TYM is a series of 10 tasks including ability to copy a sentence, semantic knowledge, calculation, verbal fluency and recall ability.

The ability to do the test is also scored. Each task carries a score with a maximum score of 50 points available.

The test is designed to use minimal operator time and to be suitable for non-specialist use. The test was completed by 540 healthy individuals (controls) aged 18 to 95 years of age with no history of neurological disease, memory problems or brain injury.

A further 139 patients with diagnosed Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment were also tested.

The test was compared with two commonly used bedside cognitive tests – the mini-mental state examination and the Addenbrooke's cognitive examination.

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