Forgetting Words
Original Post: I had a neuropsychological exam and one of the test results is verbal memory loss, meaning wherever is said to me the next minute is gone. I understand now why I was forgetting everything said to me. So, I have to write everything now.
Dr Bruno’s Response: Since word finding is a Post-Polio Sequelae, polio survivors should not be given a quickie verbal memory test for dementia since false positives will result. Please read this article Mental Status Exam and Polio Survivors and feel free to share it with your physician. There are many articles under the topics “Fatigue” and “Word Finding Difficulty” (easily located in the Index for the Encyclopedia of Polio and PPS) that you can share with your physician.
This is from an interesting article by Megan Brooks:
Three Common Dementia Screens Faulty, Inaccurate
“Three brief cognitive assessments often used in primary care settings to identify patients with cognitive impairment who could benefit from a full diagnostic workup for dementia are often inaccurate, new research shows. The three tests are the Mini–Mental State Examination (MMSE), which assesses orientation to time and place and the ability to remember words; the Memory Impairment Screen (MIS), which focuses on the ability to remember words; and Animal Naming (AN), which involves naming as many animals as possible in 60 seconds.”