title: Sociodemographic and Clinical Changes Over Time of Individuals Evaluated for Cognitive Disturbances: Good or Bad News?
abstract: In recent years, "prevention" and "early diagnosis" have been growingly discussed and explored in the field of cognitive disorders. Such increased attention to cognitive disturbances and neurodegenerative conditions may constitute a key step for achieving early/timely diagnosis of dementing illnesses. At the same time, it may generate possible issues (such as a greater proportion of negative diagnostic procedures with potential misuse of resources) that should be acknowledged by health care systems. In this report, we present exploratory analyses aimed at investigating the sociodemographic and clinical changes over time of all the individuals who have been cognitively assessed in a Memory Clinic between 2002 and 2014. Overall, individuals evaluated for cognitive disturbances have gradually become younger, more educated, and less impaired in cognitive and physical functions at their first cognitive assessment. To date, nearly 1 of 4 individuals completing a neuropsychological evaluation has no objective cognitive deficits, thus presenting subjective cognitive complaints. Based on these findings, the development and implementation of strategies for improving the referral to memory clinics is strongly needed.
authors.affiliation: Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: marco.canevelli@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Canevelli
authors.affiliation: INSERM UMR 1027, Université Paul Sabatier-Toulouse III, France; Gérontopôle, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cesari
authors.affiliation: Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trobia
authors.affiliation: Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Talarico
authors.affiliation: Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tosto
authors.affiliation: Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Letteri
authors.affiliation: Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reniè
authors.affiliation: Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gasparini
authors.affiliation: Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruno
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012923:Social Class; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Dementia; aging; cognitive impairment; health care policies; prevention