Potential Signs of Dementia in Your Hand Movements

There might be an unexpected indicator of your dementia risk right at your fingertips. Each year, over 10 million individuals worldwide receive a dementia diagnosis, with early-onset dementia affecting people in their 50s and 60s.

Interestingly, there’s a straightforward screening method that individuals can perform at home, requiring no special tools to gain insights into their cognitive health.

Dementia is frequently linked to memory issues, confusion, and difficulty concentrating, but it can also impact motor skills. This can complicate everyday tasks significantly.

To evaluate frontal lobe function, neurologist Dr. Adnan Husein has shared a brief video on social media featuring “the quickest test for dementia,” which involves three simple hand movements.

This assessment, known as the Luria Test or Fist-Edge-Palm Test, requires participants to perform a sequence of three gestures. Initially, they make a fist with one hand and place it in the palm of the other hand. Following that, they open the first hand and lay it down with the pinky side facing the palm, similar to a karate chop. Finally, they turn the hand over and pat the open palm of their first hand with the other.

Husein explains that these motions evaluate different brain functions, focusing on motor skills, executive function, and the ability to follow a sequence. Some individuals may struggle to perform the movements smoothly. They might repeat the same action excessively or fail to keep the sequence in order.

Research indicates that more than 50% of Alzheimer’s patients, which is the most prevalent cause of dementia, find this test challenging.

It’s worth noting that individuals with various types of dementia encounter difficulties with these tasks as well; Husein mentions that nearly 70% of those with frontal temporal dementia experience similar challenges.

While this test isn’t definitive for diagnosing dementia—there’s no single foolproof diagnostic test—it can indicate when someone might be experiencing cognitive difficulties and should consult a healthcare professional.

From there, providers can employ multiple screening tools to assess memory, attention, language skills, and problem-solving abilities.

For instance, the SAGE test allows individuals to self-evaluate for early cognitive decline through activities that involve counting, drawing, and recalling images.

Moreover, new tests are continuously being developed to assess dementia risk. Some blood tests can detect the p-tau217 protein associated with amyloid plaques and tau tangles, both of which are critical indicators of Alzheimer’s, well before symptoms show up.

There are even cardiac troponin tests that may predict dementia risk up to 25 years in advance of a formal diagnosis. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new blood test for people over 55 who are experiencing symptoms like memory loss.

Identifying dementia early is crucial for enhancing quality of life, broadening treatment choices, and facilitating better future planning.