The 60-second writing test that could uncover earliest signs of mind-robbing Alzheimer’s disease
A ONE-MINUTE test which uses just a pen and paper could reveal if you’re at risk of dementia, experts say.
The 60-second check is called the semantic verbal fluency test, and it’s been used by doctors for years to spot early signs of brain decline.
Research backing it has been published in several journals, including Cortex and Clinical Neuropsychology.
All you need is a timer, a pen and a bit of paper.
First, pick a big category – like animals, fruit or TV shows – and list as many as you can in 60 seconds.
You can say them out loud instead of writing them down – hence the name: verbal fluency test.
If you really struggle, it might suggest something’s not quite right with memory or thinking skills.
It’s not a diagnosis, but it could be an early red flag.
Another popular test is the clock-drawing test, which the NHS has used for decades.
You ask someone to draw a clock face on a blank bit of paper.
They add the numbers one to 12, then draw the hands to show a time—like ten past eleven.
Sounds simple, but it actually takes a lot of brain power.
You need memory, planning skills and visual awareness – things that often fade when dementia sets in.
If the clock looks wonky or the numbers are in the wrong place, it could mean something’s wrong.
Get it right, though, and it almost rules dementia out, according to NHS guidance.
If someone finds it tricky, a chat with their GP is the next step.
Dementia affects around one million people in the UK, and Alzheimer’s is the most common cause.
It’s the country’s biggest killer, with 74,261 deaths in 2022, up from just over 69,000 the year before, according to Alzheimer’s Research UK.
The Alzheimer’s Society reckons dementia costs the UK £42billion a year, with most of that falling on families.
As the population ages, that’s expected to more than double to £90billion in the next 15 years.
But there’s still hope.
Scientists believe up to 40 per cent of dementia cases could be prevented with simple lifestyle changes.
That means eating better, drinking less, exercising more, avoiding head injuries and even wearing hearing aids when needed.
Is it ageing or dementia?
Dementia – the most common form of which is Alzheimer’s – comes on slowly over time.
As the disease progresses, symptoms can become more severe.
But at the beginning, the symptoms can be subtle or mistaken for normal memory issues related to ageing.
The US National Institute on Aging gives some examples of what is considered normal forgetfulness in old age, and dementia disease.
You can refer to these above.
For example, it is normal for an ageing person to forget which word to use from time-to-time, but difficulting having conversation would be more indicative of dementia.
Katie Puckering, Head of Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Information Services team, previously told The Sun: “We quite commonly as humans put our car keys somewhere out of the ordinary and it takes longer for us to find them.
“As you get older, it takes longer for you to recall, or you really have to think; What was I doing? Where was I? What distracted me? Was it that I had to let the dog out? And then you find the keys by the back door.
“That process of retrieving the information is just a bit slower in people as they age.
“In dementia, someone may not be able to recall that information and what they did when they came into the house.
“What may also happen is they might put it somewhere it really doesn’t belong. For example, rather than putting the milk back in the fridge, they put the kettle in the fridge.”