From mild cognitive impairment to dementia: a prevalence study in a district of Tuscany, Italy.
OBJECTIVE
A door-to-door two-phase study was designed in order to estimate the prevalence of cognitive deficit amongst the residents of a district in Tuscany (central Italy). Identification of cases with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was given high priority, because this condition has been suggested as a term for the boundary area between normal aging and dementia.


METHODS
Of the 1600 subjects who completed the screening phase, 354 scored under the cut-off point of the Mini Mental State Examination and Clinical Dementia Rating and were investigated by means of a standardized diagnostic protocol.


RESULTS
The prevalence of MCI and age-related cognitive decline was 4.9 and 9.3%, respectively; low levels of education significantly increased the risk of these conditions. The prevalence of dementia over age 65 was 6.2%, with a significant risk association with age. In our population, Alzheimer's disease was the most frequent type of dementia (prevalence rate 4.2%) and increased risk depending on age, sex and education has been found.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings are somewhat similar to previous studies. Further epidemiological and longitudinal studies are warranted to identify which diagnostic category is more predictive for dementia.
Tognoni
G
G
Department of Neuroscience, Clinical Neurology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. gtognoni@neuro.med.unipi.it
Ceravolo
R
R
Nucciarone
B
B
Bianchi
F
F
Dell'Agnello
G
G
Ghicopulos
I
I
Siciliano
G
G
Murri
L
L
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors