Which laboratory test is commonly included in the dementia workup?

Which laboratory test is commonly included in the dementia workup?

• A. Vitamin B12 and folate
• B. Lipid profile
• C. C-reactive protein
• D. Urinalysis

Answer: (A)

Ruling out reversible contributors to cognitive decline is a key step in the dementia workup. Deficiencies of vitamin B12 and folate can cause cognitive changes and even dementia-like presentations; identifying and correcting these deficiencies can improve or stabilize symptoms, making them routinely checked early in evaluation. Other tests have value for broader health or to identify confounding factors—lipid profile informs vascular risk but isn’t diagnostic for dementia; C-reactive protein is a nonspecific inflammatory marker without direct diagnostic value for dementia; urinalysis helps detect acute issues like infection or dehydration that could cause delirium, not dementia itself. The most directly relevant and commonly included test in this context is vitamin B12 and folate levels because they address a reversible cause of cognitive impairment.

Ruling out reversible contributors to cognitive decline is a key step in the dementia workup. Deficiencies of vitamin B12 and folate can cause cognitive changes and even dementia-like presentations; identifying and correcting these deficiencies can improve or stabilize symptoms, making them routinely checked early in evaluation. Other tests have value for broader health or to identify confounding factors—lipid profile informs vascular risk but isn’t diagnostic for dementia; C-reactive protein is a nonspecific inflammatory marker without direct diagnostic value for dementia; urinalysis helps detect acute issues like infection or dehydration that could cause delirium, not dementia itself. The most directly relevant and commonly included test in this context is vitamin B12 and folate levels because they address a reversible cause of cognitive impairment.