Cognitive Assessment Brisbane

Oftentimes, most individuals are too busy getting on with their daily lives and don't have the time to assess their mental health. However, an individual's mental health is a vital factor in functioning well in society. Thus, conducting Cognitive Testing is essential to determine if an individual is suffering from a cognitive impairment such as delirium or dementia which are critical medical issues that can affect an individual’s overall function.

Therefore, Positive Moods a registered NDIS Service provider brings Cognitive Testing to Brisbane to help its citizens and residents in evaluating cognitive areas that indicate an individual's mental health condition, provide immediate treatment in addressing, and reduce the chances of their cognitive impairment getting worse. Through Cognitive Testing, the citizens and residents of Brisbane will be assisted by Positive Moods mental health experts on managing their mental health.

Cognitive Testing Brisbane

Cognitive Testing focuses on how an individual thinks and the condition of their cognition. It is conducted by a series of different test that was developed decades ago to determine if an individual has a mild or severe cognitive impairment. By conducting Cognitive Testing, cognitive impairment or brain health problems can be determined such as delirium, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer’s disease which is the most common type of dementia.

After the participants have been tested, the results can indicate whether further tests are needed to evaluate the main cause of the condition or provide the recommended therapy based on the severity of the participant's condition. Getting tested as earlier as possible is vital in cognitive testing to initially determine the cognitive impairment that the participants may exhibit to help improve or eventually eliminate the issue through therapy. Some cognitive impairment is not curable, so conducting cognitive testing early on is important to reduce the chances of developing long-term impairment or delay its effect through medication and a nutritious diet.

Although Cognitive Testing can help the participants determine the condition of their cognition, the causes of cognitive impairment cannot be identified. To assess if an individual is possibly suffering from cognitive impairment, these are some possibilities that can be looked into:

Vitamin deficiency
Side effects of medicine or illegal drugs
Excessive alcohol intake
Blood vessel disease
Thyroid, liver, kidney disease
Depression, stress, anxiety
Dementia
Sleep disorders
Infections
Injury to the brain or spinal cord

Types of Cognitive Testing

Conducting Cognitive Testing is done through the three most common types of cognitive tests. For the citizens and residents of Brisbane who are exhibiting cognitive impairment, here are the following types of cognitive tests that they may go through:

· Mini-Cog. One of the simpler forms of tests administered to the participants is Mini-Cog. It is a brief test that can last in 3 to 5 minutes and is reported to be accurate and effective after a quick practice. Conducting Mini-Cog includes tests of recognising a list of objects consisting of three words, and also involves sketching a clock on paper.

· Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE). Commonly used and administered to the elderly, the MMSE type of test can last between 7 to 10 minutes. The test includes identifying the current date, memorising a shortlist of items and reciting the list, writing a short and grammatically correct sentence, and counting backward.

· Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCa) Test. This test can take 10 to 15 minutes to complete. It is used to test essential cognitive skills which are thinking, listening, learning, understanding, justifying, reasoning, recognition, and concentration. MoCa is administered by recalling a shortlist of words, recognising an object or animal, and sketching or copying an object or shape.

Areas Examined in Cognitive Testing

When conducting Cognitive Testing, the participant's intelligence is not the basis of the analysis. Instead, the three main areas of cognition are tested such as memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills. The list below is the areas of cognition examined during Cognitive Testing.

Processing Speed

Under this test, the participant’s response time will be measured to assess the efficiency to learn new information. It is conducted by recalling past events, teaching new information, processing its context, and giving a response.

Problem-Solving Skills

During this test, the participants will be given different scenarios, and their answers, opinions, and ethics will be assessed. For example, the participants can be asked, what will you do if you saw an elderly having a hard time crossing the street? The participant's response will indicate the level of their analytical skills, creativity, mindset, adaptability, and resiliency.

Memory Skills

Evaluating an individual’s memory skill is essential to assess how long they can hold on to information that they can use in their lives. It is also vital in concentration and following orders. Under this test, the participants will be questioned about their childhood, memories with friends and family, societal conditions, and recent events.

Basic Introduction and Recognition Skills

Another way to assess the condition of the participants are how capable they can introduce each name of a family member, their residence, current date, and other related basic introduction questions.

Concentration Skills

Testing the participant’s concentration is an essential area in cognition. The participant’s ability to pay attention and not get easily distracted indicates the capacity to make sound reasoning and think logically.

Language Skills

An individual’s language proficiency indicates that the brain is in good condition, and improves memory and cognitive skills. Under this area, the participant will undergo listening, reading, communication, and verbal test to assess how the participants deliver their thoughts.

Physical Appearance

The participant's overall and outer appearance such as weight, posture are assessed to determine their lifestyle if they have excessive alcohol intake and uses illegal drugs. This area is important to determine how physically and psychologically well an individual is.

Individuals who need Cognitive Testing

Choosing to undergo Cognitive Testing helps the participants to make a holistic treatment plan, provide more time to plan for recovery, lessens anxiety due to illness, and reach out earlier to healthcare professionals before cognitive impairment worsens. To determine if someone needs Cognitive Testing, the following are the symptoms indicating cognitive impairment such as:

Often changes personality
Increase stress or anxiety
Equilibrium disorder
Suffering from memory disorders such as forgetting schedules and events
Often misplaces things
Sudden speech trouble
Sudden losing focus during conversations, or while watching a movie or reading a book

For more details on Cognitive Testing, citizens and residents of Brisbane who are exhibiting the stated symptoms of Cognitive Impairment, may call Positive Moods on 1300 001 470, email at ndis@positivemoods.com.au, or fill up the contact form on https://www.positivemoods.com.au/contactus.