Medical Experts Decline to Endorse Cognitive Screening for Older Adults

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force announced in the Journal of the American Medical Association that it could neither recommend nor oppose cognitive screening for older adults due to insufficient scientific proof of the practice's benefits and harms, reports the Los Angeles Times . The task force said additional research is required to gather sufficient evidence, and its statement comes amid growing concern over an increasing population of older adults with Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia. Cognitive screening entails short tests given to people lacking symptoms of cognitive decline. Test-takers may be asked to recall words, draw a clockface, spell a word backward, or sort items into different categories. Advocates claim that testing asymptomatic seniors can help identify people with unrecognized problems and potentially lead to better care, as well as give them more time to make financial and medical plans. However, critics argue that the benefits of screening are unproven, and the potential for harm is troubling. The task force focused on universal screening for all asymptomatic adults 65 and older, and uncovered little high-quality evidence that such screening would improve their quality of life or ensure that they receive better care.