AURORA, Colo . (Feb. 26, 2026) — Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz have developed a simple, one-question screening tool that could help doctors quickly identify hoarding behaviors in patients with memory loss and other brain disorders.
Early detection, they said, could lead to early intervention, helping to reduce safety risks, relieve caregiver stress and improve the quality of life for both patients and families.
The new tool was examined in a study published this month in The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences.
The study was co-led by Peter Pressman, MD and Julia Schaffer, BA. The senior author is David Arciniegas, MD, professor of neurology at CU Anschutz.
“This was really born of shared observations in the memory clinic,” said Pressman, associate professor of neurology at Oregon Health & Science University who conducted the research while at CU Anschutz. “We noticed that hoarding was very common in these patients but it was not part of any screening protocols.”
Hoarding disorder is defined as ongoing difficulty throwing away possessions, regardless of their value. The behavior can lead to severe clutter, unsafe living conditions, stress for families, and reduced quality of life.
While its often linked to psychiatric conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoarding is also seen in people with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
A One-Question Solution
Assessments of hoarding behavior traditionally involve a comprehensive evaluation with lengthy interviews and detailed questionnaires that are not always practical in busy primary care or dementia clinics.
To address this gap, researchers developed the Single-Item Hoarding Screen (SIHS). The tool asks caregivers one simple question:
“Is there any concern regarding clutter in the home or possible hoarding behavior?”
Caregivers can answer no, maybe, or yes.
The study included 135 patients seen in a behavioral neurology clinic. Patients had a range of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, primary progressive aphasia, and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia.
What the Study Found
Hoarding behaviors were especially common in patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, a condition known to affect judgment and impulse control.
The findings suggest that even a single screening question can help flag potentially serious hoarding behavior. When caregivers answer “yes,” patients are more likely to meet established criteria for clinically significant hoarding.
What’s Next
Pressman said this tool is an early step.
“There is always more validation that needs doing,” he said.
Larger studies are needed to confirm its reliability and determine how well it works across different populations.
Still, the results suggest that a quick, one-question screen could make it easier for clinicians to identify hoarding behaviors — and intervene sooner — in patients with memory and brain disorders.
“This will benefit patients and those who care for them, since there is a clear relationship between caregiver stress and hoarding,” Pressman said. “If physicians don’t ask questions about this, we can’t assume people will tell them.”
The other study authors include Christopher Filley, MD; Kelly Finch, FNP and Francesca Dino, BA.
About the University of Colorado Anschutz
The University of Colorado Anschutz is a world-class academic medical campus leading transformative advances in science, medicine, education and patient care. The campus includes the University of Colorado’s health professional schools, more than 60 centers and institutes, and two nationally ranked independent hospitals - UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and Children's Hospital Colorado - which see nearly three million adult and pediatric patient visits each year. Innovative, interconnected and highly collaborative, CU Anschutz delivers life-changing treatments, exceptional patient care and top-tier professional training. The campus conducts world-renowned research supported by $890 million in funding, including $762 million in sponsored awards and $128 million in philanthropic gifts for research.
Observational study
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