Researchers develop new screening tool to help stroke survivors

University of Queensland researchers have developed a fast cognitive screening tool that can detect often-missed rehabilitation needs for people who have experienced a stroke.

Clinician-researcher Professor Gail Robinson from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute said the Brief Executive Language Screening (BELS) test can be used by health professionals to assess a patient’s cognitive skills in minutes.

The research paper was published in Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation.

“Conventional testing for impairments following a stroke can take two to three hours, or most brief screens only detect severe impairments,” Professor Robinson said.

“BELS is a short, sensitive bedside test that only takes 20 to 30 minutes but is comprehensive and suitable for all stroke patients.

“It tests memory, motor function for speech, core language, conversational speech and complex mental abilities needed for decision making.

“BELS picks up subtle impairments in conversational speech and complex mental abilities that can be impacted by stroke but are often overlooked in patients who do not have obvious language problems that affect their ability to speak.”

Professor Robinson said impairments in propositional language and executive function skills affect every aspect of our lives.

“If these impairments aren’t identified in hospital, patients can return home and find relationships, managing daily tasks or returning to work a challenge,” she said.

“Once a person is home, they’re also less likely to seek help, even when these subtle or hidden impairments affect their quality of life.

“By using the BELS test to detect impairments early in an acute setting, health professionals can tailor the person’s rehabilitation plan to address those challenges effectively.”

The screening tool is based on 12 years of research by Professor Robinson and her team, evolving from early prototypes to the current study.

The researchers studied 88 stroke patients within 7 weeks of their stroke, comparing their test results with 116 age-matched healthy individuals.

The UQ team is now developing a BELS test to assess the cognitive skills of people with brain tumors and dementia.