Revolutionary New Dementia Screening Test Promises Faster Results

SEATTLE — A new screening test for dementia may improve early detection of Alzheimer’s disease in primary care. This test, named qBEANS (Quick Behavioral Exam to Advance Neuropsychological Screening), uses raw kidney beans to evaluate motor learning, visuospatial memory, and executive function. The test is simple and does not require technology.

Research shows that qBEANS can accurately identify Alzheimer’s disease and predict cognitive decline. However, the current version takes about 7 minutes to administer, making it too lengthy for busy primary care settings. Study author Sydney Schaefer, PhD, from Arizona State University, aimed to find a quicker, reliable version of the test.

The study involved 48 participants, mostly women with an average age of 75.4 years. The new version of the qBEANS test takes about 3.85 minutes, nearly 48% faster than before, while maintaining high reliability.

The shorter version could easily be used by medical assistants during check-ins, potentially improving dementia detection rates in primary care. However, researchers call for more studies to check how well it works in these settings.

Schaefer noted the potential for qBEANS to be available directly to consumers, due to its low cost and easy administration. Carla Perissinotto, MD, from UCSF, expressed caution about this direct-to-consumer approach. She highlighted that patients might struggle to understand results without clinical guidance.

Perissinotto suggested promoting current cognitive assessment tools like the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), which are quick and widely accepted. She also noted the need to compare qBEANS with these existing tools for clear interpretation of results.

Study co-authors Schaefer and Jill Love co-founded Neurosessments LLC, which developed qBEANS.