Simple clock-drawing test can reveal early signs of dementia

Dementia is a process in which memory, rational thinking and the ability to perform everyday tasks are gradually lost. While the process can be slowed down, it is crucial to catch its onset early — many patients only reach a doctor once the disease has advanced to a late stage, when little can be done to help.

Professor Kiril Proshchayev, scientific director of the Moscow-based Gerontology medical research centre, offers a simple self-check method — the clock-drawing test — which can be used to check on elderly relatives.

How the test works

Without any prompting, the person being tested must draw a clock face on a blank sheet of paper, correctly arranging all the numbers around the circle and drawing hands pointing to a specific time, such as fifteen minutes past two.

The drawing is then scored on a 10-point scale. A perfect drawing receives the highest score, while minor inaccuracies in the position of the hands earn 9 points. Lower scores are given for increasingly serious errors, ranging from showing the wrong time to cases where the numbers bear no relation to the clock face at all, or the drawing is never even started.

A score below 9 points may indicate serious memory problems, though interpreting the result should be left to specialists — if errors are noticed, it is recommended to consult a neurologist or psychotherapist.

Warning signs by stage

The professor also points to other signs of dementia at different stages. In the early stage, forgetfulness, difficulty keeping track of time and disorientation in familiar surroundings appear. In the middle stage, memory of recent events and people's names fades, difficulties with orientation and communication increase, and aimless wandering and repeated questions emerge. In the third, most severe stage, a person loses orientation in time and space, the ability to recognize loved ones and to care for themselves, and aggression may occur.