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Is a five hour exam really necessary to make a diagnosis? My husband was diagnosed with mild memory impairment two years aago. Did ok on the MOCA test. Had an MRI and showed normal brain size for a 85 year old man. His memory is getting worse and repeats questions constantly at times. He does cross words puzzles and plays scrabble. Neurologist suggested meds to slow down process but he was not interested.Should we go for another evaluation?
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@bethyh79 - thanks for your comment and question. The comprehensive neuropsychological assessment is the gold standard for evaluating thinking/memory problems. For someone your husband's age, many neuropsychologists will be mindful to keep the testing visit as short as possible, so it really may not be a 5 hour appointment. Most of my patients are in the clinic for more like 3 hours total (including time spent talking with me outside of testing). Many people find it extremely helpful to understand the specific areas of cognitive functioning that are impacted, and to what degree (mild, moderate, severe). The neuropsychologist can also give lots of non-medication recommendations to you and your husband, which sounds like something you may be interested in. Hope this is helpful for you!