title: Prevalence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in a Bulgarian urban population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia has not been studied in Bulgaria up to date. A 2-phase cross-sectional study was designed in order to determine the prevalence of dementia, its subtypes, and mild cognitive impairment in a Bulgarian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample consisted of 605 participants over the age of 65, residents of the city of Varna. A total of 540 participants (89%) completed the screening phase of the study. All positive screens and a control group were included in the diagnostic phase of the study, where comprehensive neuropsychological, clinical, and imaging assessments were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dementia was diagnosed in 39 persons (7.2%) and 36 had mild cognitive impairment (6.7%). Alzheimer's disease was the most frequent type of dementia (3.1%), followed by vascular dementia (2.0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support the hypothesis that prevalence of vascular cognitive impairment may be higher in Bulgaria than in most European countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sveta Marina University Hospital, Varna, Bulgaria. indimitrov@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dimitrov
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tzourio
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Milanov
authors.forename: Nadezhda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Deleva
authors.forename: Latchezar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Traykov
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D014505:Urban Population