Skip to main content
Log in

Cognitive impairment: classification and open issues

  • Mini Review
  • Published:
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Several clinically-defined cognitive impairment syndromes, with differing diagnostic criteria and nomenclature, have been proposed to describe nondisabling symptomatic cognitive deficits. Incidence and prevalence rates vary as a result of different diagnostic criteria and sampling procedures across studies. The incidence rates of cognitive impairment increase with age; but no consistent data have been reported on the association with family history, age, sex, education, Apo E4 genotype, depression, and other traditional risk factors for dementia. Severalstudies have suggested that most patients with cognitive impairment clinically defined will progress to Alzheimer Disease (AD), but rates of conversion vary widely among studies. This review summarizes existing definitions and related epidemiological data.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Prichard JC. A treatise on insanity. Philadelphia: Haswell Barrington and Hasswell, 1837.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Kral VA. Senescent forgetfulness. Benign and malignant. Can Med Assoc J 1962; 86: 257–60.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Crook T, Bartus RT, Ferris SH, Whitehouse P, Cohen GD, Gershon S. Age-associated memory impairment: proposed diagnostic criteria and measures of clinical change: report of a National Institute of Mental Health work group. Dev Neuropsychol 1986; 2: 261–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Blackford RC, La Rue A. Criteria for diagnosing age associated memory impairment. Proposed improvement from the field. Dev Neuropsychol 1989; 5: 295–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Elby EM, Hogan DB, Parhad IM. Cognitive impairment in nondemented elderly. Results from the Canadian Study of Health and Ageing. Arch Neurol 1995; 52: 612–9.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Feldman HH, Jacova C. Mild cognitive impairment. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2005; 13: 645–55.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. World Health Organisation. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10), Chapter V: Categories F00–F99: Mental, Behavioural and Developmental Disorders, Clinical Description and Diagnostic Guidelines. Geneva: WHO, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hanninen T, Koivisto K, Reinikainen KJ, et al. Prevalence of ageing-associated cognitive decline in an elderly population. Age Ageing 1996; 25: 201–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ritchie K, Artero S, Touchon J. Classification criteria for mild cognitive impairment: a population-based validation study. Neurology 2001; 56: 37–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Zaudig M. A new systematic method of measurement and diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and dementia according to ICD-10 and DSM-II R criteria. Int Psychogeriatr 1992; 4 (Suppl 2): 203–19.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Di Carlo A, Baldereschi M, Amaducci L, et al. Cognitive impairment without dementia in older people: prevalence vascular risk factors, impact on disability. The Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging. J Am Geriatr Soc 2000; 48: 775–82.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Petersen RC, Smith GE, Ivnik RJ, et al. Apolipoprotein E status as a predictor of the development of Alzheimer’s disease in memory impairment individuals. JAMA 1995; 273: 1274–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Petersen RC, Smith GE, Waring SC, Ivnik RJ, Kokmne E, Tangelos EG. Aging, memory, and mild cognitive impairment. Int Psychogeriatr 1997; 9 (Suppl 1): 65–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Petersen RC, Stevens JC, Ganguli M, Tangalos EG, Cummings JL, DeKosky ST, Practice parameter: early detection of dementia: mild cognitive impairment (an evidence based review). Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology 2001; 56: 1133–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Frisoni GB, Fratiglioni L, Fastbon J, Guo Z, Viitanen M, Winblad B. Prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in the population and physical health: data on 1,435 individuals aged 75 to 95. J Gerontol 2000; 55: M322–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Fisk JD, Merry HR, Rokwood K. Variations in case definition affect prevalence but not outcomes of mild cognitive impairment. Neurology 2003; 61: 1179–84

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Winblad B, Palmer K, Kivipelto M, et al. Mild cognitive impairment beyond controversies, towards a consensus: report of the International Working Group on Mild Cognitive Impairment. J Intern Med 2004; 256: 240–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Petersen RC. Mild cognitive impairment as a diagnostic entity. J Intern Med 2004; 256: 183–94.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Graham JE, Rockwood K, Beattie BL, et al. Prevalence and severity of cognitive impairment with and without dementia in an elderly population. Lancet 1997; 349: 1793–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Ritchie K, Ledesert BB, Touchon J. Subclinical cognitive impairment: epidemiology and clinical characteristics. Compr Psychiatry 2000; 41: 61–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Hogan DB, Ebly EM. Predicting who will develop dementia in a cohort of Canadian seniors. Can J Neurol Sci 2000; 27: 18–14.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Helkala EL, Koivisto K, Hannine T, et al. Stability of age associated memory impairment during a longitudinal population-based study. J Am Geriatr Soc 1997; 45: 120–2.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Daly E, Zaitchik D, Copeland M, Schmahmaa J, Aunther J, Albert M. Predicting conversion to Alzheimer disease using standarized clinical information. Arch Neurol 2000; 57: 675–80.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Palmer K, Wang HX, Bakman L, Windblad B, Fratiglioni L. Differential evolution of cognitive impairment in nondemented older persons: results from the Kungsholmen Project. Am J Psychiatry 2002; 159: 4376–442.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Johansson B, Zarit SH. Early cognitive markers of the incidence of dementia and mortality: a longitudinal study of the oldest old. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 1997; 12: 53–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Schonknecht P, Pantel J, Kruse A, Schroder J. Prevalence and natural course of aging-associated cognitive decline in a population-based sample of young-old subjects. Am J Psychiatry 2005; 162: 2071–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Daly E, Zaitchik D, Copeland M, Schmahmann J, Gunther J, Albert M. Predicting conversion to Alzheimer disease using standardized clinical information. Arch Neurol 2000; 57: 675–80.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Ritchie K. Mild cognitive impairment. An epidemiological perspective. Dialogues Clin Neurosci 2004; 6: 401–8.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Ganguli M, Dodge HH, Shen C, DeKosky ST. Mild cognitive impairment, amnestic type: an epidemiologic study. Neurology 2004: 63: 115–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Morris JC, Storandt M, Miller P, et al. Mild cognitive impairment represents early stage Alzheimer disease. Arch Neurol 2001; 58: 397–405.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Bennet DA, Wilson RS, Schneider JA, et al. Natural history of mild cognitive impairment in older persons. Neurology 2002; 59: 198–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Amieva H, Jacqmin-Gadda H, Orgogozo JM, et al. The 9-year cognitive decline before dementia of the Alzheimer type: a prospective population based study. Brain 2005; 128: 1093–101.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Galvin JE, Powlishta KK, Wilkins K, et al. Predictors of preclinical Alzheimer disease and dementia: a clinicopathologic study. Arch Neurol 2005; 62: 758–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Petersen RC, Doody R, Kurz A, et al. Current concepts in mild cognitive impairment. Arch Neurol 2001, 58: 1985–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Elias MF, Beiser A, Wolf PA, Au R, White RF, D’Agostino RB. The preclinical phase of Alzheimer Disease. A 22year prospective study of the Framingham cohort. Arch Neurol 2000; 57: 808–13.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Fabrigoule C, Rouch I, Taberly A, et al. Cognitive process in the preclinical phase of dementia. Brain 1998; 121: 135–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Chen P, Ratcliff G, Belle SH, Cauley JA, Dekosky ST, Ganguli M. Cognitive tests that best discriminate between presymptomatic AD and those who remain nondemented. Neurology 2000; 55: 1847–53.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Kryscio RJ, Schmitt FA, Salazar JC, Mendiondo MS, Markesbery WR. Risk factors for transition from normal to mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Neurology 2006; 66: 828–32.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Geda I, Knopman D, Rocca W, et al. Depression is associated with incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI): a prospective cohort study. Int Psychogeriatr 2005; 17 (Suppl. 2): 170–1.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Ganguli M, Du Y, Dodge HH, et al. Depressive symptoms and cognitive decline in late life. A prospective epidemiologic study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2006; 63: 153–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Rapp MA, Schnaider-Beeri M, Grossman HT, et al. Increased hippocampal plaques and tangles in patients with Alzheimer disease with a life time history of major depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2006; 63: 161–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Lopez OL, Jagust WJ, Dulberg C, et al. Risk factors for mild cognitive impairment in the Cardiovascular Health Study Cognition Study. Part 2. Arch Neurol 2003; 60: 1394–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Ritchie K, Arterom S, Touchon J. Classification criteria for mild cognitive impairment: a population-based study. Neurology 2001; 56: 37–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Palmer K, Berger A-K, Monastero R, et al. Neuropsychiatric symptomatology in mild cognitive impairment: do anxiety and depressive-related symptoms predict progression to Alzheimer’s disease? Int Psychogeriatr 2005; 17 (suppl 2): 170.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Palmer K, Berger A-K, Monastero R, Winblad B, Backman L, Fratiglioni L. Predictors of progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer disease. Neurology 2007; 68: 1596–602.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Albert M, Blacker D, Moss MB, Tanzi R, McArdle JJ. Longitudinal change in cognitive performance among individuals with mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychology 2007; 21: 158–69.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Blacker D, Lee H, Muzikansky A, et al. Neuropsychological measures in normal individuals that predict subsequent cognitive decline. Arch Neurol 2007; 64: 862–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Visser P J, Kester A, Jolles J, Verhey F. Ten-year risk of dementia in subjects with mild cognitive impairment. Neurology 2006; 67: 1201–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Tyas SL, Salazar JC, Snowdon DA, et al. Transitions to mild cognitive impairments, dementia and death: findings from the Nun Study. Am J Epidemiol 2007; 165: 1231–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Wadley VG, Crowe M, Marsiske M, et al. Changes in everyday function in individuals with psychometrically defined mild cognitive impairment in the advanced cognitive training for Independent and Vital Elderly study. J Am Geriatr Soc 2007; 55: 1192–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Federica Limongi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Basso, C., Limongi, F., Siviero, P. et al. Cognitive impairment: classification and open issues. Aging Clin Exp Res 19, 344–348 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324713

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324713

Keywords

Navigation