title: [Quality of life in mild cognitive impairment, patients with different stages of Alzheimer disease and healthy control subjects].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the current study is to evaluate quality of life in patients with different stages of dementia, MCI patients and healthy control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprises a number of 92 elderly patients (23 healthy control subjects, 24 subjects diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, 28 patients with early AD and 17 patients with moderate AD). Quality of life was measured with the SF36.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found significant differences between the diagnostic groups in the scales: perception of general health, vitality, limits in role performance due to emotional problems and mental health                         Generally, healthy control subjects and patients diagnosed with moderate AD showed better quality of life scores than patients with MCI and early stages of dementia. Additionally, we found a significant negative correlation between depression and all scales of the SF36.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirm that mood seems to be the strongest predictor of quality of life in elderly persons and patients in different stages of cognitive decline.
authors: Institut für Psychologie, Karl-Franzens Universität Graz, Univ.-Platz 2, 8010, Graz, Österreich, e.weiss@uni-graz.at.
authors: Elisabeth M
authors: EM
authors: Weiss
authors: Ilona
authors: I
authors: Papousek
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Fink
authors: Theresa
authors: T
authors: Matt
authors: Josef
authors: J
authors: Marksteiner
authors: Eberhard A
authors: EA
authors: Deisenhammer
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction; D003704:Dementia; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology