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Accuracy
Does it find early impairment and also avoid false alarms?
Simple guide for choosing a cognitive test
Which memory test is right for you?
Use this simple checklist to compare cognitive tests. The best test should be accurate early, fast enough for a real visit, easy to score, and useful for tracking your memory over time.
Not a diagnosis. This page helps you ask better questions before your doctor visit.
Why early testing matters
The goal is to catch MCI early.
Cognitive health moves along a path: normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and then dementia stages. Mild Cognitive Impairment, or MCI, can be the earliest measurable stage in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. It is the stage a sensitive screen is trying to find before daily problems become harder to manage.
Early action matters because some memory changes may be linked to treatable health issues, medicines, sleep, depression, blood pressure, or other factors your doctor can review. A test cannot promise to change the course of disease, but it can help you start the right conversation sooner.
Cognitive health continuum
Normal agingStable thinking with mild age-related changes.
MCISmall but measurable decline. Often missed in casual conversation.
Mild dementiaDaily tasks may start to become harder.
Moderate dementiaMore support is often needed.
Severe dementiaMajor daily support is usually needed.
7 things to check
How to judge a cognitive test.
Use these simple criteria. You do not need to be a scientist. You just need to know what questions to ask.
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Time
Can it fit into a real clinic visit or a short appointment?
3
Scoring
Is scoring automatic and adjusted for age, education, and other factors?
4
Tracking
Can results be saved and compared over time?
5
Training
Can staff give the test reliably without a long training burden?
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Access
Can it work by telehealth or guided online access when needed?
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Cost and reimbursement
Can the practice cover the time and cost of giving the test?
Decision checklist
What kind of test should you ask about?
Check what matters to you. If you check several boxes, ask about a guided test with strong early-stage validation and a report you can bring to your doctor.
Your result:Select the boxes above to see a simple recommendation.
Simple rank-order chart
MCI Screen ranks highest on the key criteria.
This table simplifies the provided comparison. It focuses on early MCI accuracy, time, telehealth fit, scoring, validation quality, and reimbursement category. The rank is a practical fit score based on those factors; a dash means the source table did not list that value.
| Rank | Test | Format | Time | MCI accuracy | MCI sensitivity / specificity | Telehealth | Scoring | Validation | Reimbursed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MCI Screen Top fit | Computer-guided | 9–10 min | 97% | 95% / 88% | Yes | Automated | +++ | High |
| 2 | Altoida | Self-administered | 10 min | 94% | — | Yes | Automated | + | Low |
| 3 | SLUMS | Pen-and-paper | 4–10 min | 74% | — | No | Manual | + | High |
| 4 | MMSE | Pen-and-paper | 10–15 min | 62% | 71% / 36% | No | Manual | + | No |
| 5 | Clock Drawing Test | Pen-and-paper | <5 min | 54% | 59% / 39% | No | Manual | + | High |
| 6 | MoCA | Paper / computer | 10–15 min | — | 74–84% / 81–91% | No | Manual | ++ | High |
| 7 | Mini-Cog | Paper / computer | 3 min | — | 84% / 79% | No | Manual | + | High |
| 8 | QMCI Screen | Pen-and-paper | 10–15 min | — | 70% / 94% | No | Manual | — | High |
| 9 | TICS | Pen-and-paper | 10 min | — | 73% / 77% | Yes | Manual | + | High |
| 10 | Cogstate BB | Self-administered | 10–15 min | — | 83–87% / 84–91% | Yes | Automated | ++ | Low |
| 11 | CANTAB | Self-administered | 40–45 min | — | 80% / 76% | Yes | Automated | + | Low |
| 12 | BrainCheck | Self-administered | 15 min | — | >77% / >77% | Yes | Automated | — | Low |
| 13 | AD8 | Pen-and-paper | 3–5 min | — | 57% / 71% | Yes | Manual | + | No |
| 14 | GOCOG | Paper / computer | 6 min | — | — | No | Manual | + | High |
| 15 | Linus Health | Self-administered | 3 min | — | 67% / 61% | Yes | Automated | + | Low |
| 16 | Cognivue | Self-administered | 10 min | — | 75% / 50% | No | Automated | — | Low |
| 17 | CNS Vital Signs | Self-administered | 30 min | — | — | No | Automated | — | Low |
Format: computer-guided means a guided proctor or online workflow; self-administered means the patient uses a device or online test. Validation: +++ high, ++ medium, + low, — not listed or not scientifically satisfactory in the source table.
Next step
Get a baseline before your appointment.
If you want a short, report-ready test with strong published validation for MCI vs. normal aging, schedule the MCI Screen and bring your results to your doctor.
Important: This page is educational. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace your doctor. If you have sudden confusion, weakness, severe headache, speech changes, or other urgent symptoms, seek emergency medical care.