This is how a doctor performs the test and how a patient is scored. To perform the test, you will need a partner and a piece of paper.
Doctors say you should only get tested by a physician to ensure the results are accurate and interpreted correctly. There is a doctor-approved, self-administered test version that can be take online.
1. LAYOUT OF ALTERNATIVE ROUTES
PROOF: Write the first five letters of the alphabet and numbers (1-5, AE) on a piece of paper.
Now connect them with dotted lines in ascending order.
RESULT: One point is awarded for each correct pair: 1-A; 2-B; 3-C; 4-D; 5-E. Lines may not be crossed. The patient earns 0 if he or she makes a mistake that is not immediately corrected.
2. VISUOCONSTRUCTIVE SKILLS (CUBE)
PROOF: Draw your own version of the cube in the space next to it.
It must be exactly the same as the one printed on the page.
RESULT: One point if drawn correctly (i.e. three-dimensional, all lines are drawn, no lines are added, lines are relatively parallel and of similar length; no point if any of those criteria are missing).
3. VISUOCONSTRUCTIVE SKILLS (CLOCK)
PROOF: Draw a clock, put in all the numbers and set the time to 10 minutes after 11 o’clock.
RESULT: One point is assigned for each of the following three criteria:
- Contour (ONE POINT): The watch face should be a circle with only minor acceptable distortion (i.e. a slight imperfection when closing the circle).
- Numbers (ONE POINT): All numbers on the clock must be present with no additional numbers; numbers must be in the correct order and located in the approximate quadrants of the clock face. Roman numerals are acceptable. Numbers may be located outside the circle outline.
- Hands (ONE POINT): Two hands must be present to indicate the correct time; the hour hand must be noticeably shorter than the minute hand. The hands must be centered on the clock face, with their junction near the center of the clock.
No point is assigned to a given element if any of the above criteria are not met.
4. APPOINTMENT
PROOF: Name each animal.
RESULT: One point for each:
Lion
Rhinoceros (or rhinoceros)
Camel (or dromedary)
5. MEMORY
PROOF: To do this, you will need to involve your partner. Ask him or her to read the list of words below out loud and then repeat as many words as you can remember.
FACE, VELVET, CHURCH, DAISY, RED
RESULT:There are no positive points for this test, but there are negative points for each word that is not answered or is incorrect.
6. ATTENTION
TEST (numbers):Ask your partner to read the following list of numbers and then recite them in order.
2 1 8 5 4
Also ask your partner to read the following list of numbers and then recite them in reverse order.
7 4 2
RESULT:One point for getting each scenario right
TEST (letters): Ask your partner to read the following list of letters at a rate of one per second and tap each time they hear the letter A.
FBACMNAAJKLBAFAKDEAAA JAMOFAAB
RESULT: One point if you make no mistakes. No points if you make two or more mistakes.
TEST (mathematics): Start with the number 100 and then count backwards, subtracting seven each time. Do this five times. Your answers should look like the numbers below.
RESULT: Three points if four or five answers are correct, two points if two or three are correct, one point if one is correct, no points if all are incorrect.
7. REPETITION OF PRAYERS
PROOF:Ask your partner to read the sentences below and then repeat them. The sentence must be exactly the same, with no substitutions or word changes.
“I just know that John is the one who has to help today. The cat always hid under the couch when there were dogs in the room.”
RESULT:One point for each correct sentence.
8. VERBAL FLUENCY
PROOF: Set a timer for 60 seconds and try to think of as many words as possible that start with the letter F. The goal is to get at least 11 words.
These words cannot be proper nouns, such as Bob or Boston, and they cannot have the same sound but different suffixes (for example, love, lover, loving).
RESULT: One point for reaching 11 or more words in one minute.
9. ABSTRACTION
PROOF: The similarity between a banana and an orange is that they are both fruits. Find the similarity between the following two pairs.
Train – bicycle, and clock – ruler
RESULT:One point for each similarity that is correct
Acceptable answers:
- Train and bicycle: means of transport, means of travelling, used to make trips.
- Ruler and clock: measuring means, measuring instruments
Unacceptable responses:
- Train and bicycle: they have wheels
- Ruler and clock: they have numbers
10. DELAYED RECOVERY
PROOF: Try to remember all the words you heard earlier in the memory section, in question five.
RESULT:One point for each word remembered correctly.
The words were FACE, VELVET, CHURCH, DAISY and RED.
11. ORIENTATION
PROOF:Say the exact date, then the month, year and day. Also say where you are and the city you are in.
RESULT:One point for each correct answer, up to a maximum of six points.
TOTAL SCORE:
Add up all accumulated points, adding one point if the patient has less than 12 years of formal education.
- Around 16: cognitive health of an Alzheimer’s patient
- Around age 22: Cognitive health of a person with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
- Over 26: Normal
- 30: Perfect score