Neuropsychosocial features of very mild Alzheimer's disease (CDR 0.5) and progression to dementia in a community: the Tajiri project.
The borderline condition between normal aging and dementia should be detected to predict further deterioration. The authors cross-sectionally analyzed neuropsychological data, memory complaints, and social activities for community-dwelling older adults. The rate of decline from Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) 0.5 to dementia during a 3-year interval was also analyzed. Short-term memory rather than long-term memory was found to be sensitive in distinguishing those with CDR 0 from those with CDR 0.5. Relatives' observations of memory decline rather than subjective memory complaints were significantly different. Participants with CDR 0.5 reported fewer problems with social activities than did their relatives. Ten of the 29 CDR 0.5 participants (34.5%) showed cognitive decline, the decliners showing lower scores on short-term memory and orientation at the baseline condition. The neuropsychological data showed CDR 0.5 to be similar to very mild Alzheimer's disease. It would be better if subjective complaints were excluded from the criteria of the borderline condition.
Meguro
Kenichi
K
Department of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 9808575, Japan. k-meg@umin.ac.jp
Shimada
Masumi
M
Yamaguchi
Satoshi
S
Sano
Iwao
I
Inagaki
Hiroki
H
Matsushita
Masaaki
M
Sekita
Yasuyoshi
Y
Mori
Etsuro
E
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index