Craig Siders, Ph.D.

Question:  As a physician, I use an in-house test for Alzheimer’s disease.  Why would I need to refer a patient for neuropsychological testing?

Many physicians use the Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) or similar brief screening measures when a patient or patient’s family members bring up memory concerns.  However, physicians may consider referring a patient to neuropsychological testing for many reasons, including the following:

• The MMSE test is not very sensitive, missing between 23 and 55 percent of Mild Cognitive Impairment, which can be an early indicator of Alzheimer’s disease or other neurodegenerative disorders
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