If a family member or loved one is suffering from a neurodegenerative disease such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or Parkinson’s disease, you may already be aware of the physical, emotional, and financial toll it can have on a person. From dealing with angry outbursts to handling their day-to-day tasks, many may feel lost and devastated by the challenges these diseases present. As patients lose their cognitive abilities with time, they may feel like they have no control over their lives. Early detection of such conditions will allow the patient and their families more time to understand the diagnosis and carry out a well-thought-out and unique care plan that meets the patient’s and family’s wants and needs. From getting educated about their condition to creating a treatment plan that works for them to handling financial and legal matters and making integral decisions, early health screening will go a long way in ensuring patients live as independently as possible.
Cognitive Function Screening: What is It?
A majority of changes that affect the brain due to a brain-related disease don’t typically occur overnight. It may take years, sometimes even 40 years, for any signs and symptoms of cognitive impairment to develop. Early health screening, whether in the form of virtual health screening or in-person, will enable doctors to recognise the early signs of the disease. It will also help them to establish a baseline of brain health well in advance so that it makes it easier to monitor the changes that occur with a disease like dementia. If you have a family history of a brain-related disease, are suffering from a chronic condition like diabetes or hypertension, or are over 65 or younger with memory concerns, the ideal solution for early detection is cognitive function screening.
Good health isn’t simply about being physically fit, your brain health is important as well. The brain is one of the most important organs that allows us to think clearly, learn well and remember properly. However, cognition (thought process) is only one dimension of brain health. There are many other aspects of brain health, such as motor function and emotional regulation, that can be affected by cognitive impairment.
Cognitive function screening, as the term implies, assesses brain functions involved in thinking, learning, language, memory, and judgement. While up to a certain extent of cognitive decline is to be expected with ageing, a severe impairment that occurs due to brain-related diseases can affect one’s quality of life negatively. Although some conditions cannot be completely cured, early detection and intervention can help with delaying the onset of the disease, such as dementia. In addition, an early diagnosis with the help of health screening can also slow the progression of a medical condition like Alzheimer’s disease.
Cognitive Function Testing: Types and Benefits
Today, medicine has seen a considerable change over the years, resulting in many innovative advancements in treatments and technologies. With time, many novel assessment tests have been developed in the hope of enhancing patients’ lives and giving them positive outcomes. Cognitive function testing has also evolved from traditional pen-and-paper tests like the clock drawing test to more comprehensive health screening tests such as Digital Brain Function Screening (DBFS), that allows patients to take the test from the comfort of their own homes, without a need for an administrator. DBFS also comes with the benefit of being faster, inexpensive, and easily accessible. Moreover, the sensitivity associated with DBFS is considerably significant over more conventional assessment methods.
This test can be completed in just 15 to 20 minutes, and while it is by no means a diagnostic tool, it can be utilised to assess a person’s immediate memory, thinking ability, attention and executive function all through a series of specialised gamified puzzles and questions. One such puzzle involves memorising a series of numbers that the user has to note down in order. Although it is designed for primary care settings, this also can be used as a virtual health screening test, enabling patients to complete it in the comfort of their homes.
Cognitive Assessments: What Conditions Can Be Evaluated?
Cognitive function testing is useful in evaluating a number of diseases that result in cognitive impairments. Some examples include mild cognitive impairment (MCI), stroke, delirium, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, head injuries, seizures, chronic conditions, as well as age-related changes affecting memory. However, these tests aren’t useful just for when you are ill; they also play an important role even if you are healthy. Such tests can also be carried out on individuals with no signs of cognitive decline for monitoring purposes. For instance, if you go for a brain health screening and it shows you that your result is normal, doctors can use this result as a baseline for future purposes in terms of tracking your brain health.
Take Control of Your Life with Neurowyzr: Enhance Your Brain Health Today!
As a visionary brain capital company that designed the innovative assessment tool DBFS, Neurowyzr utilises neuroscience principles to optimise brain health and enhance the quality of our patient’s lives. With access to a plethora of health screening services and a team of revered scientific advisors, neuroscientists and specialists, our organisation is committed to providing an omni-care platform with services and products that are evidence-based and effective for anyone. Whether you want to enhance your brain health, prevent early brain decline, or need guidance with optimising your personal potential and improving your well-being, we will walk with you on your journey to good health. Reach out to our friendly team today and receive care that goes beyond your expectations.