Mild Cognitive Impairment: An Overview

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) refers to the transitional state between the cognitive changes of normal aging and very early dementia. MCI has generated a great deal of research from both clinical and research perspectives. Several population- and community-based studies have documented an accelerated rate of progression to dementia and Alzheimer's disease in individuals diagnosed with MCI. Clinical subtypes of MCI have been proposed to broaden the concept and include prodromal forms of a variety of dementias. An algorithm is presented to assist the clinician in identifying subjects and subclassifying them into the various types of MCI. Progression factors, including genetic, neuroimaging, biomarker, and…