Now, a quick test to detect Alzheimer`s!

London: Does your loved one have memory loss? Do they have trouble paying bills? Is their sense of direction failing? Fret not. These are some of the questions doctors say they have devised as part of a test to detect Alzheimer`s.

And, if you have 10 minutes to spare, this test of 21 questions can tell if your loved one is at risk of developing Alzheimer`s disease by distinguishing between normal absent mindedness and the more sinister memory lapses that may signal the early stages of dementia. The Alzheimer`s Questionnaire, which is almost 90 per cent accurate, measures mild cognitive impairment – the slight memory lapses that can be a precursor of the disease. Up to 15 per cent of people with MCI develop Alzheimer`s within the next year, the `Daily Mail` reported. The questions, designed to be answered by a spouse or close friend, are to be answered with a simple `yes` or `no`. A `yes` is given a score of one or two and a `no` always scores zero, giving a maximum possible score of 27. Someone who scores under five is advised that there is no cause for concern. A score of five to 14 suggests mild cognitive impairment -- or memory lapses that could be the early stages. Any higher than this and the person may already have it, say the doctors. Michael Malek-Ahmadi, one of the doctors, wrote in the `BMC Geriatrics` journal: "As the population ages, the need for a quick method of spotting the disease early will grow." PTI