Diagnostic Tests for Cognitive impairment

Diagnostic Test list for Cognitive impairment:

The list of diagnostic tests mentioned in various sources as used in the diagnosis of Cognitive impairment includes:

• Physical examination
  • Temperature
  • Neck stiffness may suggest meningitis or subarachnoid hemorrhage
  • Assessment of vision and hearing
  • Neurological examination to look for focal neurological signs and papilledema
• Blood tests
  • Full blood count and ESR
  • Electrolytes, calcium, renal function tests
  • Blood sugar level
  • Liver function tests
  • Thyroid function tests
  • Blood cultures - if fever.
  • Cytogenetics for karyotyping e.g. looking for genetic syndromes e.g. Down's syndrome, Fragile-X syndrome
  • Serology for congenital infections in a child
  • Serum Creatinine phosphokinase in child not walking be 18 months if suspect Duchenne muscular dystrophy
  • Syphilis and HIV testing - if appropriate.
  • B12 assay for deficiency may suggest Subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord which can cause cognitive impairment
  • ANA antibody to detect lupus erythematosus
• General appearance
  • Looking for any dysmorphic ( abnormality of shape) features of face and body e.g. Down syndrome, Cornelia de Lange syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Soto's syndrome
• Urine tests
  • Urine metabolic screening in children if suspect metabolic and storage diseases
  • Urine drug screen
• Radiological investigations
  • CT scan or MRI brain can detect many different causes of cognitive impairment
• Spinal tap - may be required to diagnose multiple sclerosis, neurosyphilis, meningitis.
• EEG - may be helpful in demonstrating drug intoxication.
• IQ test
• Denver developmental screening test in children - compares all aspects of a child's development with a population of normal children at the same age.

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