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Professional Screening and Evaluation Tools

Neurocognitive Disorders Overview

This module provides an overview of neurocognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s and others.

Mild Cognitive Impairment

This module provides a description of mild cognitive impairment and how it relates to dementia. A diagnosis of MCI is also discussed.

Cognitive Screening

How can a family doctor identify cognitive impairment? What happens after a diagnosis is made? In this module, Dr. Philip Sloane will discuss these questions and more.

Lewy Body Dementia

This module provides a discussion about Lewy body dementia including common symptoms, case studies and treatment options.

Is It Alzheimer’s? A Case Study

In this module, a common primary care cognitive impairment case (from history, physical, cognitive testing, imaging, and diagnosis) is discussed.

Tips on Evaluating Memory Loss

This module provides a description on how to quickly and effectively evaluate memory loss including methods to distinguish storage versus retrieval memory deficits and the use of verbal and category fluency tests.

Mini Cog Screening Test is a quick, easy-to-administer tool that is both sensitive and specific for identifying cognitive impairment. Please note, if positive, it should be followed up with a more detailed cognitive evaluation.

The Primary Care Brain Screen (informant) identifies changes from usual self in five key areas: cognition, instrumental activities of daily living, socialization, behavior, and vegetative/sensory/motor function. The rating system allows the provider to quickly scan to see where the most troublesome problem areas are. This can inform diagnosis, management and referral to resources. A self-administered Primary Care Brain Screen is also available.

This neurobehavioral assessment review article presents a multidimensional, integrative approach to clinical assessment and management of neurobehavioral disorders.

This section includes downloadable series of checklists for use in performing and recording the components of a comprehensive primary care dementia evaluation:

In addition to these materials, a diagnosis must take into account the overall clinical picture, including other relevant elements from the patient’s history, current presentation, or laboratory evaluation.