Cognitive profiles of incipient dementia in the Goteborg MCI study.
OBJECTIVE
To study which cognitive profiles of incipient dementia strongest predict the conversion to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mixed dementia (MD)/vascular dementia (VaD).


METHODS
260 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were included in the study and 209 (79%) were followed up after 2 years. At baseline, the subjects were assessed with a neuropsychological battery covering the cognitive domains speed/attention, memory, visuospatial, language and executive functions.


RESULTS
After 2 years, 9 subjects were considered normal, 148 had stationary MCI and 47 (23%) had converted to dementia. Twenty subjects were diagnosed with AD, 15 with MD and 9 with VaD. The others were 2 with unspecified dementias and 1 with primary progressive aphasia. Dementia converters had a high proportion of impairment in all cognitive domains. The profiles of incipient AD and MD/VaD differed, with memory, visuospatial and language symptoms preceding AD, and executive and speed/attention symptoms preceding MD/VaD.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of converting to dementia is increased when domains in addition to memory are impaired. The incipient AD and MD/VaD profiles differed quite clearly. Considering that the vascular group consisted of a majority of patients with MD, the differences are convincing - vascular disease seems to have an essential impact on cognition.
Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. arto.nordlund@neuro.gu.se
Arto
A
Nordlund
Sindre
S
Rolstad
Mattias
M
Göthlin
Ake
A
Edman
Stefan
S
Hansen
Anders
A
Wallin
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000523:psychology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004493:Education; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology; D014888:Wechsler Scales