The science behind this test

Last updated: August 9, 2026

This page explains where our memory check comes from, how the scoring works, and what the test can and cannot tell you. We want you to be able to check everything we say here for yourself.

Where the questions come from

Our check is based on a published research questionnaire called MASCoD, short for Multidimensional Assessment of Subjective Cognitive Decline. It was developed by three researchers — Marina Maffoni, Antonia Pierobon, and Cira Fundarò — at Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, a clinical research institute in Italy. Their work was published in 2022 in Frontiers in Psychology, a peer-reviewed scientific journal. You can read the full paper for free.

What the test measures

The questionnaire measures what researchers call subjective cognitive decline. In plain terms: changes in your memory and thinking that you notice yourself, before any doctor has measured them. Researchers study these self-noticed changes because you are usually the first person to notice a change in your own memory. A questionnaire like this helps put words and a number on those concerns, so you have something concrete to bring to your doctor.

How the scoring works

The check has 21 yes-or-no questions. Every “yes” counts as one point, so scores run from 0 to 21. The published questionnaire groups scores into three ranges: low (0–7), moderate (8–13), and elevated (14–21). We use those same ranges. The ranges were set by the researchers with a panel of clinical experts.

What we changed, and why

The questionnaire is published under a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0), which allows others to use it with credit. Six of the original questions were based on an older questionnaire that is not freely licensed, so we wrote our own versions of those six. They ask about the same everyday situations — remembering names, finding things you put down, keeping track of what you read. We also smoothed some wording for American readers. We use the 21 scored questions; the original paper also includes unscored sections that we do not use.

Honest limits

We would rather tell you plainly what this test is and is not.

• This is a checklist of concerns, not a medical exam. It cannot diagnose dementia or any other condition. Only a qualified clinician can do that.
• The questionnaire is young. It has been tested with small groups of patients in Italy — 26 people in the 2022 study and 59 in a 2025 follow-up. A larger study is in progress.
• Many things affect memory: poor sleep, stress, some medications, anxiety, and depression. A high score does not mean you have dementia, and a low score does not rule out a problem.
• Because we rewrote six questions, our version is not word-for-word identical to the version used in the published studies.

If you are worried about your memory, the right next step is the same no matter what you score: talk with your doctor, and bring your results with you.

Why we save your score

One score is a snapshot. What matters more is whether your answers change over time. Your score page has a permanent link, so you can take the check again later and compare.

Questions

If anything here is unclear, or you spot something we got wrong, email us at support@dementiamonitor.com.