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Polygons

Polygons assesses visuospatial processing, which is the ability to effectively interpret visual information, such as complex visual stimuli and relationships between objects. Polygons challenges the patient’s proficiency in picking out subtle differences between shapes.

How to take the Polygons Test

Two panels appear. One contains two overlapping shapes, and one contains just one shape. The patient must determine if the single shape is identical to one of the overlapping shapes, or if it is subtly different than both shapes. Puzzles get more difficult with every correct answers.

The history of Polygons

Tasks that challenge visuospatial skills are common in traditional pen-and-paper tests, such as the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), in which patients draw interlocking polygons from memory. This is commonly used to help diagnose forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s. When undertaking visuospatial tasks, people with Alzheimer’s not only perform poorly, but their brains show signs of more activation than healthy volunteers during the task, indicating that the task is much more difficult for them.

 

Polygons in the real world

Tasks similar to Polygons have been used to diagnose cognitive decline in old age. Lifestyle factors such as sleep and exercise have a complicated relationship with preventing ailments that reduce cognitive function, and Polygons is often used to study how cognition is affected by changes. Tracking lifestyle and Polygons performance over a long period of time may reveal relationships, on both a personal and a population level.


Speak to us about using Polygons in your practice or study