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Cognitive Function Screening

A quick, objective digital check of memory and thinking — using BrainCheck to establish a baseline and catch cognitive changes early, from board-certified internal medicine physicians at Remix Medical in Houston.

What Is Cognitive Function Screening?

Cognitive function screening is a short, structured check of memory, attention, and thinking. Its goal isn't to label anyone — it's to establish an objective baseline and catch meaningful changes early, when there's the most opportunity to act. At Remix Medical, screening is done with BrainCheck, an FDA-cleared digital assessment your physician interprets alongside your history and exam.

Who Should Consider Screening?

It's worth discussing a cognitive screening if you or your family have noticed:

  • Trouble with memory or word-finding
  • Difficulty managing money, medications, or appointments
  • Repeating questions or misplacing things more often
  • Any change that seems different from your usual self

It's also reasonable simply to establish a baseline as you get older, before any concern arises.

How the Screening Works

BrainCheck is completed on a tablet in the office and takes about 10–15 minutes. It measures several areas of thinking — memory, attention, processing speed, and executive function — and produces objective, repeatable scores. Your physician reads those scores in context with your medications, medical history, and exam. The test supports clinical judgment; it doesn't diagnose a condition on its own.

What Happens After the Screening

Your physician reviews the results with you. A normal baseline can be repeated over time to watch for change. If results suggest a problem, the next steps focus on treatable contributors — medication review, thyroid or vitamin B12 testing, sleep, and mood — and, when appropriate, referral to neurology or geriatrics.

How it's performed

The screening uses BrainCheck, an FDA Class II digital cognitive assessment completed on a tablet in the office in about 10–15 minutes. It measures several cognitive domains — memory, attention, processing speed, and executive function — and produces objective, repeatable scores your physician interprets alongside your history, medications, and exam. It supports clinical judgment and does not, by itself, diagnose any condition.

How to prepare

No special preparation is needed. Bring your glasses and hearing aids if you use them, a list of your medications, and, when possible, a family member or friend who can share observations about any changes in memory or thinking.

What to expect after

Your physician reviews the results with you. A normal baseline can be repeated over time to monitor for change; results suggesting impairment lead to further evaluation, a reversible-cause workup (such as medication review, thyroid, B12, or mood), and referral to neurology or geriatrics when appropriate.

Outcome

Screening establishes an objective cognitive baseline and helps detect changes early, when there is the most opportunity to identify reversible causes, plan care, and support brain health.

Frequently asked

Cognitive Function Screening questions, answered

What is cognitive function screening?

It's a short, structured test of memory, attention, and thinking used to establish a baseline and catch changes early. At Remix Medical it's done with BrainCheck, a digital assessment on a tablet, and your physician interprets the results alongside your history and exam.

Does a cognitive screening diagnose dementia?

No. Screening is not a diagnosis. It provides objective data that helps your physician decide whether further evaluation is needed. A diagnosis, when appropriate, comes from a fuller assessment that includes your history, exam, labs, and sometimes imaging or specialist referral.

Who should consider cognitive screening?

It's worth discussing if you or your family have noticed changes in memory, word-finding, or handling everyday tasks, or if you'd simply like an objective baseline as you age. Your physician can help decide whether and when screening makes sense for you.

How long does cognitive screening take?

The BrainCheck assessment usually takes about 10–15 minutes and is done on a tablet in the office. There's no preparation and no recovery time.

What happens if the results are abnormal?

Your physician reviews the results with you and looks for treatable contributors — medications, thyroid problems, vitamin B12 deficiency, sleep, or mood. Depending on the findings, the next step may be repeat testing over time or referral to neurology or geriatrics.

Why establish a baseline if I feel fine?

A baseline taken while you're well is one of the most useful things to have later, because it lets your physician measure change against your own starting point rather than a population average — making a real shift easier to spot early.

Sources

References

  1. US Preventive Services Task Force: Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults — Screening — https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/cognitive-impairment-in-older-adults-screening
  2. National Institute on Aging: Assessing Cognitive Impairment in Older Patients — https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/cognitive-health/assessing-cognitive-impairment-older-patients
  3. Alzheimer's Association: Cognitive Assessment — https://www.alz.org/professionals/health-systems-clinicians/cognitive-assessment
  4. BrainCheck: BrainCheck Assess — FDA Class II Digital Cognitive Assessment — https://braincheck.com/platform/assess/

Your care team

Clinicians who treat this.

Every clinician at Remix Medical is board-certified and owns the practice — so the physician in your exam room is the one making decisions about your care.

  • Everald Manning, MD

    Everald Manning, MD

    Family Practice & Primary Care Physician

    4.6 · 178 Google reviews

    Accepting New Patients

  • Kaveh Samani, MD

    Kaveh Samani, MD

    Internal Medicine & Primary Care Physician

    4.8 · 250 Google reviews

    Accepting New Patients

SpecialtyInternal MedicineTypeDiagnostic testBody locationBrainCPT code96136, 96138, 96132

Also called Cognitive Screening, Cognitive Assessment, BrainCheck, Memory Screening, Cognitive Test

This page is for general education and is not a substitute for medical advice. Whether a given procedure is appropriate depends on your individual evaluation. Contact a Remix Medical clinician to discuss your care.

Updated July 30, 2026. Medically reviewed by Kaveh Samani, MD.

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