Evidence-Based Supplement & Herb Guides

Lewy Body Dementia Testing: How It Is Diagnosed

Learn how Lewy body dementia is diagnosed, including symptom patterns, cognitive testing, MRI, sleep studies, biomarker tests, and how doctors distinguish it from Alzheimer’s and other conditions.

Lewy body dementia can be difficult to recognize because it often blends memory changes with movement symptoms, sleep problems, hallucinations, mood changes, and day-to-day...

Lumbar Puncture (Spinal Tap): When It Is Used in Brain and Cognitive Testing

Learn when a lumbar puncture is used in brain and cognitive testing, what spinal fluid can reveal, how the procedure works, and when a spinal tap helps diagnose memory loss, infection, inflammation, or dementia.

A lumbar puncture is a medical procedure that gives doctors access to cerebrospinal fluid, the clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord....

M-CHAT Autism Screening: What It Means and What Comes Next

Learn what an M-CHAT autism screening result really means, how scores are interpreted, what a positive screen does and does not show, and what usually happens next.

The M-CHAT is one of the most common tools used to screen toddlers for signs that may be consistent with autism spectrum disorder. It...

Medical Conditions That Can Mimic Anxiety and Depression

Learn which medical conditions can mimic anxiety and depression, what warning signs to watch for, and how doctors evaluate symptoms before making a diagnosis.

Anxiety and depression are real mental health conditions, but symptoms that look psychiatric are not always caused by a primary psychiatric disorder. Palpitations, fatigue,...

Memory Loss in Younger Adults: When Cognitive Testing Is Needed and What Comes Next

Learn when memory loss in younger adults may need cognitive testing, which causes doctors consider first, what the workup includes, and what happens after results come back.

Forgetting a name, missing an appointment, or walking into a room and losing your train of thought can happen at any age. In younger...

Memory Testing for Seniors: When to Get Checked

Learn when memory testing for seniors is worth scheduling, how to tell normal aging from cognitive decline, which tests doctors use, and what happens after the results.

Forgetting a name now and then, walking into a room and losing your train of thought, or needing a moment to recall a word...

Memory Tests for Dementia: How Cognitive Screening Works

Learn how memory tests for dementia work, which cognitive screening tools doctors use, how scores are interpreted, and what happens after an abnormal result.

Memory changes can be unsettling, especially when they begin to affect conversations, appointments, finances, cooking, driving, or medication routines. A memory test can be...

Mental Health Screening for Children, Teens, Adults, and Seniors

Learn how mental health screening differs for children, teens, adults, and seniors, which tools and concerns matter by age, and what a positive screening result really means.

Mental health screening is a structured way to notice emotional, behavioral, cognitive, or substance-related concerns early enough to take the next step. It is...

Mental Health Screening in Primary Care: What to Expect

Learn what mental health screening in primary care usually involves, which questionnaires are commonly used, how doctors interpret results, and what happens after a positive screen.

Mental health screening in primary care is a routine way for a doctor, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or care team to check for common...

Mental Health Screening: What It Is, How It Works, and What Results Mean

Learn what mental health screening is, how common tools work, what scores really mean, and what usually happens after a positive or unclear result.

Mental health screening is a first-step check for symptoms that may need closer attention. It is usually brief, structured, and designed to identify concerns...

Mild Cognitive Impairment vs Normal Aging: How Doctors Tell the Difference

Learn how doctors distinguish mild cognitive impairment from normal aging, which symptoms matter most, what cognitive testing shows, and when the workup points to something more serious.

Forgetting a name, misplacing keys, or needing a moment to find the right word can happen at any age, and it becomes more common...

Mini-Cog Test: What It Screens For and Who Should Take It

Learn what the Mini-Cog test screens for, who should take it, how it works, what the results mean, and when a fuller memory evaluation is needed.

The Mini-Cog is a brief cognitive screening test often used when there is a concern about memory, thinking, or possible dementia. It is not...

MMSE Test: What It Measures and When It Is Used

Learn what the MMSE test measures, how its 30-point score is interpreted, when doctors use it, and where this common cognitive screening tool helps or falls short.

The MMSE is one of the best-known brief cognitive screening tools used in medical settings. It is often given when a clinician wants a...

MoCA Test: What It Measures and What the Score Means

Learn what the MoCA test measures, how it is scored, what different score ranges can suggest, and why a low MoCA result should always be interpreted in full clinical context.

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, commonly called the MoCA, is a brief cognitive screening test used when there is a concern about memory, thinking speed,...

MoCA vs MMSE vs Mini-Cog: Key Differences in Memory Testing

Compare MoCA, MMSE, and Mini-Cog in one clear guide. Learn which memory test is more sensitive, when each is used, and what happens after an abnormal result.

Memory testing can feel more serious than it looks. A clinician may ask someone to remember a few words, draw a clock, name the...

Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ): What It Screens For and What Results Mean

Learn what the Mood Disorder Questionnaire screens for, how the MDQ is scored, what a positive result means, and why it cannot diagnose bipolar disorder on its own.

The Mood Disorder Questionnaire is a short screening tool used to flag symptoms that may fit bipolar spectrum disorders, especially past episodes of mania...

Most Common Brain Tests: MRI, CT, EEG, PET, Sleep Studies, and Lab Work

Learn what MRI, CT, EEG, PET, sleep studies, and lab work actually show, when doctors order each test, and how these common brain tests fit into real diagnostic workups.

Brain-related symptoms can be unsettling because they may affect memory, mood, speech, sleep, balance, concentration, movement, or awareness. A single test rarely explains everything....

Most Common Cognitive Tests: What They Measure and When They Are Used

Learn what the most common cognitive tests measure, when doctors use Mini-Cog, MoCA, MMSE, SLUMS, and neuropsychological testing, and what abnormal results really mean.

Cognitive tests are structured tasks that help clinicians understand how a person is thinking, remembering, paying attention, using language, solving problems, and navigating daily...

Most Common Mental Health Screening Tools: What They Measure and When They Are Used

Learn which mental health screening tools are used most often, what PHQ-9, GAD-7, PC-PTSD-5, MDQ, ASQ, and other screeners measure, and what happens after a positive result.

Mental health screening tools are short questionnaires or structured question sets that help identify symptoms needing closer attention. They are often used in primary...

MRI vs CT Scan for Brain Symptoms: Which Test Is Better and Why?

Learn when MRI is better than CT for brain symptoms, when CT should come first, and how doctors decide which scan makes the most sense in emergencies and routine workups.

When someone has headaches, confusion, memory changes, dizziness, weakness, seizures, or other brain-related symptoms, imaging may be part of the medical workup. The common...