Evidence-Based Supplement & Herb Guides

Brain CT Scan: When It Is Used and What It Can Detect

Learn when a brain CT scan is used, what it can detect, what it may miss, how it compares with MRI, and what to expect before, during, and after the scan.

A brain CT scan is often used when doctors need a fast look at the brain, skull, and nearby structures. It is especially useful...

Brain Fog Testing: How Doctors Evaluate Brain Fog and Poor Concentration

Learn how doctors evaluate brain fog and poor concentration, including history, cognitive testing, blood work, imaging, sleep evaluation, and next steps.

Brain fog can feel like slowed thinking, forgetfulness, poor concentration, word-finding trouble, or mental fatigue that makes ordinary tasks harder than they should be....

Brain Imaging for Memory Loss: When MRI or PET Is Used

Learn when MRI or PET is used for memory loss, what each scan can show, how amyloid and tau PET differ, and why imaging is only one part of a full dementia workup.

Memory loss can come from many different causes, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular changes, medication effects, sleep problems, depression, vitamin deficiencies, prior head injury, and...

Brain MRI: What It Shows and When It Is Ordered

Learn what a brain MRI can show, when doctors order it, how it compares with CT, what contrast means, and what to expect before, during, and after the scan.

A brain MRI is one of the most detailed imaging tests used to look at the brain and nearby structures inside the head. Doctors...

Brain, Cognitive, and Mental Health Tests by Age: Children, Adults, and Seniors

Learn which brain, cognitive, and mental health tests are commonly used in children, adults, and seniors, and how age changes screening, diagnosis, and next-step evaluation.

Testing for brain, cognitive, and mental health concerns is not one-size-fits-all. A preschool child who is late to speak, a teenager with panic symptoms,...

Brain, Cognitive, and Mental Health Tests by Symptom: Memory Loss, Brain Fog, Anxiety, Mood Swings, and More

A practical guide to brain, cognitive, and mental health tests by symptom, including memory loss, brain fog, anxiety, mood swings, poor focus, fatigue, and when doctors escalate testing.

Symptoms such as memory loss, brain fog, anxiety, mood swings, poor concentration, or sudden confusion can come from many different causes. Some are primarily...

CAGE Alcohol Screening: What It Means and When It Is Used

Learn what the CAGE alcohol screening test measures, how it is scored, when doctors use it, where it falls short, and how it compares with AUDIT and AUDIT-C.

The CAGE questionnaire is a brief alcohol screening tool used to identify signs that alcohol may be causing harm or loss of control. It...

CAM Delirium Test: What It Measures in Hospital and Older Adults

Learn what the CAM delirium test measures, how it is scored, when hospitals use it, how it differs from CAM-ICU, and what a positive result means in older adults.

Delirium is a sudden change in attention, awareness, and thinking that often appears during illness, surgery, infection, medication changes, dehydration, or hospital stays. It...

Can a Brain Scan Show Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, or Autism?

A brain scan can sometimes show medical problems that affect mood, attention, behavior, or thinking, but it usually cannot diagnose depression, anxiety, ADHD, or...

Can Mental Health Tests Be Wrong? False Positives, False Negatives, and Next Steps

Can mental health tests be wrong? Learn how false positives and false negatives happen, what affects accuracy, and what to do next after a confusing result.

Mental health tests can be useful, but they are not perfect. A questionnaire, rating scale, online screen, school checklist, or brief primary care form...

Can MRI Diagnose Mental Illness? What Brain Scans Can and Cannot Show

Can MRI diagnose mental illness? Learn what brain scans can reveal, when doctors order MRI for psychiatric symptoms, and why diagnosis still depends on clinical evaluation.

MRI can be reassuring, confusing, or both when mental health symptoms are involved. A person may have depression, anxiety, psychosis, memory changes, mood swings,...

Cognitive Testing for Older Adults: What Families Should Expect

Learn what families should expect from cognitive testing for older adults, including common memory tests, follow-up workups, how results are interpreted, and when sudden confusion needs urgent care.

Cognitive testing can feel intimidating when a parent, spouse, or older relative is having memory lapses, confusion, word-finding trouble, or changes in judgment. Families...

Cognitive Testing: What It Is and What It Measures

Learn what cognitive testing measures, which brain functions it checks, when doctors recommend it, and how to understand screening results and next steps.

Cognitive testing is a structured way to evaluate thinking skills such as memory, attention, language, reasoning, processing speed, and problem-solving. It is used in...

Complete Guide to Brain, Cognitive, and Mental Health Tests and Diagnostics

Learn what brain, cognitive, and mental health tests actually show, how screening differs from diagnosis, when imaging or biomarkers are used, and what results may mean.

Tests for brain, cognitive, and mental health concerns can feel confusing because they range from quick questionnaires to advanced scans, blood work, sleep studies,...

Computerized Cognitive Testing: What It Measures and How Accurate It Is

Learn what computerized cognitive testing measures, how accurate digital brain tests really are, and when results should lead to follow-up care or full neuropsychological evaluation.

Computerized cognitive testing uses a computer, tablet, or phone-based platform to measure thinking skills such as memory, attention, processing speed, reaction time, language, and...

Concussion Testing: Common Tests Used to Assess Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Learn what concussion testing really includes, from symptom checks and neurologic exams to cognitive tests, balance testing, and when CT or MRI is needed.

A concussion is usually diagnosed from the story of the injury, the symptoms that follow, and a focused neurological exam—not from a single definitive...

Conners Rating Scales: What They Measure in ADHD Testing

Learn what Conners Rating Scales measure in ADHD testing, how parents and teachers use them, what high scores mean, and why they are not a stand-alone diagnosis.

ADHD testing often includes questionnaires because attention, impulsivity, emotional control, and daily functioning can look different across home, school, work, and social settings. The...

CSF Testing for Brain and Cognitive Disorders: What It Can Show

Learn what CSF testing can show in brain and cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s biomarkers, infection, inflammation, prion disease, lumbar puncture risks, and how results are interpreted.

Cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, is the clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Because it is in close contact with the central...

C-SSRS Suicide Risk Assessment: What It Is and What to Expect

Learn what the C-SSRS suicide risk assessment measures, what questions it asks, how clinicians interpret answers, and what usually happens after a positive screen.

The C-SSRS is a structured way to ask about suicidal thoughts and behaviors. It is used in hospitals, clinics, schools, crisis services, research settings,...

DAST Screening Test: What It Measures and What Results Mean

Learn what the DAST screening test measures, how DAST-10 scoring works, what different score ranges may mean, and what usually happens after a positive drug use screen.

A DAST screening test is a short questionnaire used to look for signs that drug use may be causing harm, loss of control, health...