A tough reality of aging is that our brains eventually start to lose a bit of their edge. We become more forgetful and process information a little more slowly.
What’s hard to know without help from a doctor is whether we’re in the middle of a healthy and natural slowdown or experiencing warning signs of something more serious, like dementia. But luckily, we can test ourselves at home in just one minute.
Dr. Laurence Quinn recently shared a common 60-second dementia test
Dr. Laurence Quinn, an NHS General Practitioner from the U.K. and popular YouTube personality, recently took to his channel to share important, useful information about dementia.
Dr. Quinn says a lot of his appointments regarding dementia start with some kind of conflict within a family. One family member starts forgetting things, and when accused, they may become defensive or combative. That’s when they come to him, and Dr. Quinn uses a simple test to start the conversation.
“[This test] has been used for decades and still appears in established dementia assessments today. But it isn’t an ordinary memory test. In just one minute, it forces your brain to search through information collected through an entire lifetime, organize it, retrieve it quickly, avoid repeating itself, and find another route whenever it becomes stuck,” he says.
So what’s the task? It’s called the animal fluency test.
Set a timer for one minute and name as many different animals as you can. Keep count on your fingers or on a sheet of paper, and ideally, have a partner write down your exact answers so you can analyze them later. Ready? Go!
Doctors say a score below 15 may be cause for concern
Dr. Quinn says that healthy adults aged 50-59 can usually name about 20 unique animals in one minute. People in their 60s often name around 19, and people in their 70s average around 16. The score keeps dropping for people in their 80s, who can often name around 14 animals in the allotted time.
“Those are averages,” Quinn clarifies, “not pass marks. But your score absolutely does matter. … A score of around 15 or below is a result that would make me look more closely, especially in someone under 80 or where there are already concerns.”
He also adds that the animal fluency test result does not diagnose Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia. Still, it can be meaningful data for a doctor to evaluate.
“A good score is reassuring; a low score is a reason to ask better questions,” he says.
Why the test is so revealing
Beyond the score, Dr. Quinn says it’s useful to break down the types of answers a person gives. That is why it helps to have someone on hand to write them down.
When the answers come in neat little groups—like pets, sea creatures, farm animals, etc.—that’s called “clustering.” When we run out of ideas in those clusters, we have to “switch” to a new tactic.
“When you ran out of pets, could your brain leave that group and find another one?” Dr. Quinn says. “It asks your brain to notice if it’s stuck, abandon an unproductive route, organize a new search, and keep going. It’s a small test of mental flexibility, attention, and strategy.”
People with Alzheimer’s or dementia make fewer switches and use fewer groups, which reduces their total score under time constraints.
Repeating answers is another clue. Anyone can slip up under time pressure, but repeatedly struggling to remember answers you gave earlier in the test is a sign worth noting.
The test is just one data point in a larger conversation
Dr. Quinn says the animal fluency test does more than test what you can remember and what you’ve forgotten. It tests the brain’s ability to access what it knows and to retrieve information flexibly. A brain that struggles mightily with the task may need further evaluation from a doctor.
And that’s the key. The animal fluency test is a common, effective screening tool you can do yourself in your living room, but it works best as part of a larger evaluation.
And if any viewers at home are worried about their mental decline, there’s plenty to be done regardless of the test’s results. One of the best ways to support a healthy brain is to stay active. Regular cardiovascular and aerobic exercise is just as good for the brain as it is for the body, and remaining social and engaged with the people around us has been shown to keep us sharp.
Learning and trying new things are great ways to keep your brain healthy. Challenging our minds with novel ideas and tasks stimulates brain cells and forms new connections, which can delay decline.
“If your score was lower than expected, don’t panic,” Quinn concludes. “But if that lower score fits with a real and persistent change that you or your family have noticed, speak to your own doctor.”
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