The clock-drawing test has been around for many years and is sometimes used independently to quickly screen people for signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's and other dementia. It's also been integrated as a part of other screening tests such as the Mini-Cog. Some family members have even used it in their homes to unofficially screen a loved one if memory problems or behavior changes have become a concern.

Here's a couple of things I've found recent research on, as they relate to the clock-drawing test.

• The MMSE is often used as a standard test to screen for dementia, but did you know that the clock-drawing test can identify a significant deficit in executive functioning that the MMSE might miss?

• There are more than 15 different scoring methods. If you've administered the clock-drawing test before, which one do you use? Recent research suggests a simple scoring method is just as accurate as a complex one.

Read more here about the how the clock-drawing test is conducted, further research about different scoring methods, and why it's useful as a screening tool for dementia.

A drug approved for treatment of skin cancer has been shown to rapidly reverse signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in mice.

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine demonstrated that bexarotene (brand name Targretin) decreased the presence of amyloid beta, the protein that becomes out of control and forms plaque in the brain as Alzheimer's progresses. Bexarotene is approximately 10 years old and is an FDA approved drug for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Levels of amyloid beta protein present in the brain responded quickly to the drug, decreasing notably within 24 hours, and by 75% after two weeks.

Even more importantly, the mice displayed a reversal of the cognitive problems they had exhibited, such as memory problems and impaired social behavior.

The spatial memory of mice was tested by observing their navigation through a maze. Their ability to construct a nest, which requires cognition but also social interaction, improved dramatically. Researchers also noted that the mice's memory for smells improved with the treatment. (As humans, our ability to detect or distinguish between odors often deteriorates as Alzheimer's progresses.) All areas showed notable improvement after just nine days of treatment with bexarotene.

Finally, the study demonstrated effectiveness in both early and later stages of Alzheimer's in the mice. This is important because most medications currently approved to treat Alzheimer's are helpful only in the early stages of the disease.

This drug is clearly effective in mice. What remains to be seen, but is surely hoped for, is its affect on people. Since the medication is already approved by the FDA, it is anticipated that clinical trials in humans will be able to occur relatively soon.

This study was published in the online journal Science.

Locally, the news reported a story about a man who is 82 years old, has a diagnosis of dementia, and went missing on Monday. He lives at an adult foster care home and was last seen leaving the facility with a visitor. For the past two days, it has not been known where he was, if he was receiving the medications he requires for his other medical concerns, or if his life was in danger.

The good news? He was found safe today near Chicago and has been receiving care there. I don't know the rest of the story, but I do know it's great to hear that he's been located and is safe.

This story serves as a reminder about a couple of things:

• If you are taking a friend or family member out of a facility or away from his home, remember to communicate these plans with those responsible for caring for him. Many facilities have a sign-out sheet to document if a resident is on a leave of absence.

• Additionally, about 60% of people with dementia will wander at some time as their disease progresses. If your loved one has Alzheimer's or another kind of dementia, she is at risk.

Although this latest incident with the missing man was not due to wandering away, many cases are. So, here are some helpful tips on that note:

• Practical and Effective Tips to Prevent Wandering
• How to Respond to Attempts to Wander (Also thought of as: "Help! My dad is trying to leave.")
• How to Search for a Missing Loved One with Dementia

If you have any other tips or strategies, feel free to share them here.

A recent article in Neurology reported that a revised definition of mild cognitive impairment has been developed by a work group from the Alzheimer's Association and National Institutes of Aging. The previous distinction between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early stages of Alzheimer's disease relied on this difference: in MCI, the person's cognitive deficits, like memory, for example, did not interfere with activities of daily living (which includes skills such as dressing, bathing, eating meals).

Historically, MCI has been thought of as the dysfunction that may occur between normal cognition and the development of a dementia such as Alzheimer's. With this new definition, the line between Alzheimer's and MCI is blurred since both can now exhibit cognitive problems and daily functioning challenges.

One reason the group is making this change is because they found that even though a diagnosis of MCI required a person to exhibit normal functioning in daily life, research demonstrated that many people with MCI were experiencing impairments in their activities of daily living.

The take-away? Some people already diagnosed as having Alzheimer's or another dementia in the early stages may now fit the criteria for MCI instead. While this change gives the clinician more authority to use his or her judgment in diagnosing, it also reduces uniform definitions of both MCI and Alzheimer's since the previous boundary of impairment in daily living skills - that key distinction - has been removed.