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New Alzheimer's test 'for better detection' Main Article page | Health page| Disease articles | Links Scientists have developed a new test which they claim is nearly 95 per cent effective in detecting Alzheimer's, and thus may soon pave the way for more effective treatment of the disease. A team at the University of Tennessee has designed the test called computerised self test (CST), the impetus of which came from data showing that 60 per cent of Alzheimer's cases are not diagnosed in the primary care setting, and that those delays lead to missed treatment opportunities. "Early detection is at the forefront of the clinical effort in Alzheimer's research, and application of instruments like CST in primary care setting is of extreme importance," said Rex Cannon. The CST is a brief, interactive online test that works to asses various impairments in functional cognitive domains-- it's a "fitness test" of sorts for the basic functions of thinking and processing information that are affected by Alzheimer's and milder forms of cognitive impairment. Their research, published in the 'Journal of Alzheimer's Disease', showed that the CST was substantially more effective and more accurate in detecting the presence of Alzheimer's and other forms of cognitive impairment in patients than other existing tests. The CST had a 96 per cent accuracy rate compared to 71 per cent and 69 per cent for tests currently in use. "Computerised testing is a developing and exciting area for research," Cannon said. Agencies
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