ACCT-AD Toolkit Brief Assessment

This assessment is designed to help identify cognitive concerns or changes that may warrant further evaluation. The questions may be administered by a healthcare provider, a trained staff member, or distributed to patients as a pre-visit questionnaire.

Whenever possible, obtain collateral information from someone who knows the patient well (for example, a spouse, partner, adult child, or close friend). Informant input is an important component of cognitive assessment and may help identify changes that are not apparent during the clinical encounter. If an informant is not available, consider administering a brief cognitive screening test in addition to the interview questions.

The initial questions are intentionally open-ended to allow patients to describe cognitive symptoms in their own words and to avoid constraining responses. Suggested prompts are provided for situations in which the patient denies concerns or provides responses that do not address the question.

Interpretation buttons are available for each question and provide guidance on evaluating patient and informant responses. Use these resources if you are uncertain how to interpret the information obtained.

Opening Questions

Memory

Do you think your memory or thinking has changed over the past 5–10 years? Yes / No

If "No" or the response is unclear:

Just to be sure, I'm asking about recent conversations, family events, movies, books, appointments, and other experiences. Have you noticed changes in any of these areas? Yes / No

Language

Have you noticed changes in your language abilities? Yes / No

If "No" or the response is unclear:

Just to be sure, I'm asking about difficulty finding words, following conversations, or understanding what others are saying. Have you noticed changes in any of these areas? Yes / No

Personality

Have you noticed changes in your personality, behavior, or interests? Yes / No

If "No" or the response is unclear:

Just to be sure, I'm asking about things such as becoming more irritable, having more difficulty getting along with others, losing interest in activities, or behaving differently than before. Have you noticed changes in any of these areas? Yes / No

Follow-Up Questions

For each domain with a positive response:

Memory

1. Do you think these memory changes are worse than what is typical for someone your age? Yes / No
2. Have these memory changes caused you to stop doing activities or tasks you previously did? Yes / No
3. Has anyone else commented on these memory changes? Yes / No

Language

1. Do you think these language changes are worse than what is typical for someone your age? Yes / No
2. Have these language changes caused you to stop doing activities or tasks you used to do? Yes / No
3. Has anyone else commented on these language changes? Yes / No

Personality

1. Do you think these changes are worse than what is typical for someone your age? Yes / No
2. Have these changes caused you to stop doing activities or tasks you used to do? Yes / No
3. Has anyone else commented on these changes? Yes / No