CERTAIN words were eluding him, causing him

to stutter. This was new. Okay, everyone's memory deteriorates with age, but how were you supposed to know what was normal and what was not? Temple Melville, 55, a travel agent from Glasgow had, perhaps, more reason than most to wonder. His father had died of Alzheimer's disease, so he knew the raw unedited truth about failing mental function.

So, when an advert appeared in The Herald three years ago seeking volunteers to take part in a pilot online memory test, one of the first of its kind in the world, Temple decided to take part.

The test, devised by Dr Fraser Inglis, a consultant geriatrician at the Glasgow Memory Clinic in Clydebank, involved remembering words, doing sums, and identifying different objects. It only took a few minutes and, at the end, the results showed that Temple's memory function was average for his age group. ''That reassured me quite a lot,'' he says.

I can relate to that. Sitting down to my computer screen preparing to do the National Memory Test, I couldn't help wondering about my own memory, which has definitely deteriorated in recent months. Going upstairs only to find I can't remember what I went for, forgetting what time I have arranged to meet a friend, or, horror of horrors, forgetting where I have heard what piece of gossip, are typical examples of how my memory occasionally lets me down now in a way that it never used to.

The National Memory Test, which was designed by Glasgow-based web developers 2 Fluid Creative, aims to address those concerns by giving people a means to assess their own memory function and compare it with that of other people in the same age group.

Dr Inglis hopes to build up a national database which individuals will be able to use to chart changes in their memory function over time - and seek further help if necessary. Designed for people of all ages, it assesses all the areas that would be examined in a memory clinic.

I logged on to www.memory-

clinic.com, paid my (pounds) 5, and the test began. First, I was asked to type in the day and full date; next, a series of 10 words flashed up on the screen and I had to remember them; then I had some sums to do; more words to remember; some pictures of objects to identify; and more words. At the end, I was given my score and shown a graph of how it compared with the average for my age group and other age groups. As it turned out, it was much higher than I expected.

So, had I been imagining my memory deterioration? No, says

Dr Fraser Inglis. The National Mem-ory Test is not a comprehen-

sive measure of memory, nor is it

a diagnostic test, as it is not being carried out in controlled conditions. It will not challenge all users to

the same extent. It does, however, provide a benchmark against which users can compare their memory function over time.

''It turns the subjective into the objective,'' says Bruce McClure, 35, a management consultant with an interest in how memory affects

performance in business. He came across the test by chance after typing some keywords into Google. He had always considered himself to have a good memory, but his score in the test was lower than he had expected. ''It was a good wee test from my point of view,'' he says. ''I believe memory atrophies if you don't use it, so you have to exercise it. I will do the test again in three or six months time and see if I can improve on my score.''

Dr Inglis, who jointly ran Scotland's first memory clinic in Dundee and now runs the Glasgow Memory

Clinic, believes doctors should be making greater efforts to measure people's memory function so they can tell if there is a change over time.

''People say, 'I am a bit worried about my memory. It's not very good, but, then again, it's never been good','' says Dr Inglis. ''Without a test, I can't say, 'actually your memory test 10 years ago was at a similar level'.''

Age is not the only factor that can impair memory. If things ''slip your mind'' then the explanation may well be that you are under stress

and have too much to think about. Hormonal changes can also affect memory: it is widely recognised

that themenopause can affect women's memories.

Even where the test does indicate loss of memory function over time, that does not necessarily indicate that there is anything to worry about. Many people accept some memory loss as they get older, says Dr Inglis. If your ability to live your life to the full is not significantly affected, then there is arguably nothing to worry about.

In any case, loss of memory function is not necessarily irreversible, as the country's legions of crossword-addicted, Countdown-playing grandmothers can testify. ''People may be able to improve their areas of weakness through exercises,'' says Dr Inglis.

Where there is real cause for concern relates to the onset of dementia. ''A human relies completely

on their memory system to function,'' says Dr Inglis. When that fails at a fundamental level, because

of Alzheimer's, for instance, even something as simple as a telephone call becomes impossible: the suf-ferer can't remember how the telephone works or where it is, let alone the number they need.

Some 55% of dementia cases are caused by Alzheimer's disease, where nerve cells in the brain deteriorate. A further 20%-30% are caused by multiple small strokes. In all these cases, survival rates are improving, but the individuals

concerned require constant care, with serious implications for NHS resources. In the past six years, four new drugs have come on the market to tackle symptoms of dementia. It is still early days, but the signs are that some may be able to halt the decline. Set against that background, Dr Inglis believes that any means of detecting memory deterioration early on and trying to arrest it can only be a good thing.

Temple Melville couldn't agree more. His father had had Alzheimer's for nearly 20 years by the time he died and caring for him was very demanding for the whole family. ''My father died almost two years before he died physically,'' says Temple. ''The father I knew became a completely different person.'' Anything that would help other people in his father's position is OK by him.

The National Memory test can be found at www.memoryclinic.com Each test costs (pounds) 5. Personal details can be accessed only by the person taking the test, not

by the clinic. Plans are afoot to add in more, progressively

harder tests, so every user can test themselves to their limit.