This self-administered test, developed by American researchers, makes it possible to identify in a few moments the precursory and tenuous signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Called SAGE, this test makes it possible, in less than 15 minutes, to screen patients with mild cognitive impairment who are at risk of developing a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
- Performed regularly, it could allow earlier management of the disease.
As we age, it is possible that memory loss and disorientation may occur, unrelated to senile dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. To determine whether these memory problems are a normal consequence of aging or a sign of neurodegenerative disease, the only way was through clinical examinations, including memory tests. For some patients, a cerebral MRI as well as a lumbar puncture with a dosage of specific markers of Alzheimer’s disease were necessary.
Since 2021, diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia has gotten easier, thanks to researchers at Wexner Medical Center, State University School of Medicine and School of Public Health. Ohio. In one study, they explained that they had developed a new early test. Called SAGE (Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination), it can detect early and subtle signs of dementia.
“The earlier cognitive impairment is detected, the more effective the treatments”
“New disease-modifying therapies are available and others are being evaluated in clinical trials. We know that the earlier cognitive impairment is detected, the more treatment options the patient has and the more effective the treatments.“said Dr. Douglas Scharre, director of the division of cognitive neurology at Wexner Medical Center in Ohio and lead author of the study. The researchers note that the test does not definitively diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. However, it allows doctors to get a baseline of a patient’s cognitive function, allowing them to track their memory and thinking skills over time. “Primary care physicians often fail to recognize subtle cognitive deficits during routine visits“, clarified Dr. Scharre.
Cognitive decline: a quick and reliable test
To develop the SAGE test, researchers followed 665 patients for eight years and tested them repeatedly. Of these, 164 patients had mild cognitive impairment at the start of the study. It turned into dementia in 70 of them. Over a period of three to four years, this is a conversion rate of 43%, which is similar to rates in other studies conducted at academic centers, Dr. Scharre said. The distribution of dementia diagnoses included 70% Alzheimer’s disease dementia, 7% Lewy body dementia, and 9% pure or mixed vascular dementia.
The results showed that SAGE could accurately identify, in 10 to 15 minutes, patients with mild cognitive impairment who were eventually diagnosed with dementia, at least six months earlier than the most commonly used testing method, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMS) or Folstein test.
The Importance of Cognitive Score Tracking
“Anytime you or a family member notices a change in your brain function or personality, you should take this test. advised Dr. Scharre. If that person takes the test every six months and their score drops by two to three points over a year and a half, that’s a significant difference, and their doctor can use that information to get ahead of the curve. identifying the causes of cognitive loss and making decisions treatment.”
Based on the evolution of the cognitive score, doctors and families are able to decide if it is time to take action based on the safety and monitoring needs of people with this disorder. “This may include, for example, monitoring of medication, financial assistance, restriction of driving, establishment of enduring powers of attorney and other legal or fiduciary arrangements, a change in living conditions and increased care support” concluded the researcher.
