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. 2021 Apr;1(2):45-50.
doi: 10.47936/encephalitis.2021.00031. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Food memory test to evaluate memory function

Ji-Hun Choi  1   2 , Dong-Woo Kim  1   2 , Hye-Jee La  1   2 , Hyoshin Son  1 , Soon-Tae Lee  1
Affiliations

Food memory test to evaluate memory function

Ji-Hun Choi et al. Encephalitis. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate cognitive function with ease at bedside, we developed a novel neurologic exam called the "food memory test (FMT)" and evaluated its validity for use in clinical practice.

Methods: In this prospective study in a neurology clinic, we asked patients about what they had eaten for the soup and main dish at the last meal [FMT1] and the second-to-last meal [FMT2]. If they answered correctly for both the soup and main dish, they received a "pass" score. If they did not answer or chose the wrong food, they received a "fail" score. We also performed conventional cognitive function tests for comparison.

Results: A total of 27 patients was enrolled, and 12 (44.4%) passed the FMT1 test. FMT1 has a strong correlation with conventional memory function tests, including time-place orientation, three-word recall, the Seoul Verbal Learning Test, and the Rey Complex Figure Test . FMT1 was not correlated with a depression score or with frontal lobe function tests. FMT2 showed less significant correlation with conventional memory tests.

Conclusion: These results suggest that FMT1 is a reliable bedside test to evaluate recent memory. Clinical application of FMT in daily clinical practice is warranted.

Keywords: Food memory test; Memory; Neurologic examination.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest Soon-Tae Lee has been editorial board of encephalitis since October 2020. He was not involved in the review process of this original article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Correlation between FMT1 and conventional memory tests
Correlation with the immediate score (A), delayed score (B), and recognition score (C) of Seoul Verbal Learning Test (SVLT); correlation with the immediate score (D) and delayed score (E) of Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT). Whiskers indicate the range of scores. ***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01. FMT1, food memory test for the last meal.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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