Poster Session 02 Program Schedule
02/15/2024
08:00 am - 09:15 am
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)
Poster Session 02: Aging | MCI | Neurodegenerative Disease - PART 1
Final Abstract #53
Cognitive Decline in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Differences Between those who Remain Stable Versus those who Progress to Dementia
Natalie Kurniadi, Advanced Neurobehavioral Health, San Diego, United States
Jasmin Guevara, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, United States
Kevin Duff, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, United States
Category: Dementia (Alzheimer's Disease)
Keyword 1: mild cognitive impairment
Keyword 2: neuropsychological assessment
Keyword 3: activities of daily living
Objective:
This study sought to identify which cognitive domains declined most in participants with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) who progressed to dementia compared to those who remained MCI on follow-up. We also examined which specific aspects of the cognitive domains were most affected in these two groups.
Participants and Methods:
A clinical sample of 283 participants who were diagnosed with MCI at a baseline visit completed neuropsychological testing at baseline and approximately one-year later at a follow-up visit. Based on follow-up diagnoses, they were grouped as “MCI-Stable” (i.e., MCI at baseline and follow-up, n = 156) or “MCI-Progressors” (i.e., MCI at baseline but dementia at follow-up, n = 127). Multivariate analysis of covariance compared these two groups’ follow-up scores across six cognitive domains, controlling for baseline cognitive scores.
Results:
“MCI-Progressors” showed significantly worse performance across all cognitive domains at follow-up compared to those in the “MCI-Stable” group, even after controlling for baseline cognitive performance. The largest effect sizes were observed on tests of category fluency, auditory attention, and cognitive set-shifting. Group differences in cognitive change did not appear to be accounted for by demographics, premorbid functioning, mood, or time to follow-up visits.
Conclusions:
Additional cognitive decline is present in MCI, especially for those who progress to dementia on follow-up. Although this additional cognitive decline is not part of most diagnostic criteria for dementia, it may explain the functional deficits leading to a dementia diagnosis. Tracking performance on particular neuropsychological tests may identify those at high risk for conversion to dementia.
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