If you're worried that your constant forgetfulness could already be a sign of dementia, then you should consider taking the test that researchers say can help detect Alzheimer's.

A team of researchers at the Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center developed the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination (SAGE) that they claim could identify early signs of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. The exam, which tests a person's language ability, reasoning, problem-solving skills and memory was taken by more than 1,000 volunteers age 50 and researchers found it was successful in detecting four out of five people tested with mild cognitive issues.

"What we found was that this self-administered test correlated very well with detailed cognitive testing," said study researcher Douglas Scharre, a neurologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. "If we catch this cognitive change really early, then we can start potential treatments much earlier than without having this test. "

The self-administered test only takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete and can be done at home either by hand or online. The test results may not provide a diagnosis but a patient's response can alert doctors with problems that they can then monitor over time. Researchers said that people who miss six or more points on the 22 point-test may have cognitive problems and sharing the results with a doctor could prompt further tests to understand what is behind the problems. " We can give the test periodically and, the moment we notice any changes in their cognitive abilities, we can intervene much more rapidly," Scharre said.

Treatments for Alzheimer's and dementia are more effective when started early but patients often wait three to four years after their symptoms first appear to seek treatment. The researchers hoped the test could do something about the situation. "Hopefully, this test will help change those situations," Scharre said. "We are finding better treatments, and we know that patients do much better if they start the treatments sooner than later."

The researchers' findings on the feasibility and efficiency of SAGE have been published in the January issue of The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences.