Mild Cognitive Impairment: Deficits in Cognitive Domains Other than Memory

Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) typically present with memory complaints, but may have mild deficits in other cognitive domains. We compared the neuropsychological profiles of a series of consecutive MCI patients (n = 116) with a control group of healthy elderly subjects (n = 63). The presence of a memory deficit on delayed recall was consistent in the MCI sample, as it was an inclusion criterion in the study. Impairment on immediate recall was present in 62.6% of the patients on paragraph recall of the logical memory test and in 63.1% of the patients on the word paired-associate learning test. Remarkably, patients with MCI frequently had deficits in cognitive domains beyond memory. As much as 68.7% of the patients had deficits in temporal orientation, 30.2% had deficits in semantic fluency, 33.7% in the Token test, 23.4% in calculation, and 23.9% in motor initiative. If detailed neuropsychological testing is performed, the majority of MCI patients will have deficits in cognitive domains other than memory.

[1]  A. Ardila,et al.  Sensitivity and Specificity of the Mini-Mental State Examination in a Spanish-Speaking Population , 2000, Applied neuropsychology.

[2]  T. Scheibel.  Amyloid formation of a yeast prion determinant , 2007, Journal of Molecular Neuroscience.

[3]  J. Morris,et al.  The Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD). Part I. Clinical and neuropsychological assesment of Alzheimer's disease , 1989, Neurology.

[4]  Á. Silva,et al.  Adaptação à população portuguesa da tradução do Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) , 1994 .

[5]  M. Guerreiro,et al.  Clinical significance of subcortical vascular disease in patients with mild cognitive impairment , 2005, European journal of neurology.

[6]  Karen Ritchie,et al.  Classification criteria for mild cognitive impairment: A population-based validation study , 2001 .

[7]  R. Petersen,et al.  Mild cognitive impairment , 2006, The Lancet.

[8]  Manuela Guerreiro,et al.  Mild cognitive impairment , 2007, Journal of Molecular Neuroscience.

[9]  L. Wahlund,et al.  Mild cognitive impairment: experience from a memory clinic , 2003, Acta neurologica Scandinavica. Supplementum.

[10]  J. Morris,et al.  Current concepts in mild cognitive impairment. , 2001, Archives of neurology.

[11]  C. Jack,et al.  Mild cognitive impairment – beyond controversies, towards a consensus: report of the International Working Group on Mild Cognitive Impairment , 2004, Journal of internal medicine.

[12]  E. Tangalos,et al.  Mild Cognitive Impairment Clinical Characterization and Outcome , 1999 .

[13]  Impaired financial abilities in mild cognitive impairment , 2003, Neurology.

[14]  R. Mohs,et al.  Consortium to establish a registry for Alzheimer's disease (CERAD) clinical and neuropsychological assessment of Alzheimer's disease. , 2002, Psychopharmacology bulletin.

[15]  J. Touchon,et al.  Classification criteria for mild cognitive impairment , 2001, Neurology.

[16]  R. Lévy,et al.  Aging-Associated Cognitive Decline , 1994, International Psychogeriatrics.

[17]  E. Larson,et al.  Effect of Education on the Mini‐Mental State Examination as a Screening Test for Dementia , 1991, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[18]  R. Petersen.  Mild cognitive impairment as a diagnostic entity , 2004, Journal of internal medicine.

[19]  P. Scheltens,et al.  A New Rating Scale for Age-Related White Matter Changes Applicable to MRI and CT , 2001, Stroke.

[20]  N. Foster,et al.  Mild cognitive impairments predict dementia in nondemented elderly patients with memory loss. , 2001, Archives of neurology.

[21]  M. Roth,et al.  The Association Between Quantitative Measures of Dementia and of Senile Change in the Cerebral Grey Matter of Elderly Subjects , 1968, British Journal of Psychiatry.

[22]  Laura Fratiglioni,et al.  What is mild cognitive impairment? Variations in definitions and evolution of nondemented persons with cognitive impairment , 2003, Acta neurologica Scandinavica. Supplementum.

[23]  S. Ferris,et al.  Age‐associated memory impairment: Proposed diagnostic criteria and measures of clinical change — report of a national institute of mental health work group , 1986 .

[24]  M. L. Lambon Ralph,et al.  Homogeneity and heterogeneity in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study of 55 cases. , 2003, Brain : a journal of neurology.

[25]  Janice E Graham,et al.  Prevalence and severity of cognitive impairment with and without dementia in an elderly population , 1997, The Lancet.

[26]  L. Thal,et al.  Alzheimer’s disease can be accurately diagnosed in very mildly impaired individuals , 2002, Neurology.

[27]  F. Ostrosky-solis,et al.  Cognition, Functional Status, Education, and the Diagnosis of Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment in Spanish-Speaking Elderly , 2004, Applied neuropsychology.

[28]  E. Tangalos,et al.  CME Practice parameter: , 2022 .

[29]  B. Miller,et al.  CME Practice parameter : Diagnosis of dementia ( an evidence-based review ) Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology , 2001 .

[30]  M. Trabucchi,et al.  Impaired financial abilities in mild cognitive impairment: A direct assessment approach , 2003, Neurology.

[31]  C. Jack,et al.  Mild cognitive impairment can be distinguished from Alzheimer disease and normal aging for clinical trials. , 2004, Archives of neurology.