Screening for mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuropsychology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a common reason for referrals to old age psychiatry and memory clinics.
• Current cognitive evaluations often use brief dementia screens not optimized for MCI assessment.
• There is a need to evaluate the suitability of cognitive screening instruments for MCI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the utility of cognitive screening instruments for assessing mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
• To provide an overview of validated cognitive screening instruments for MCI.

Main Methods:

• A literature search was conducted for papers published after 1999 using terms like 'mild cognitive impairment' and 'cognitive screening'.
• The search included 39 specific screening tests identified in a previous review.
• Studies examining face-to-face cognitive screening for MCI were included.

Main Results:

• Fifteen cognitive screening instruments were identified; 11 assessed a limited range of cognitive domains.
• High sensitivity and specificity for MCI were reported for four instruments, but only one had adequate reliability.
• Most studies had small sample sizes, and prognostic values were reported for only two instruments.

Conclusions:

• Several cognitive screening instruments can detect MCI, early Alzheimer's disease (AD), and some non-AD dementias.
• These instruments cannot reliably predict the course or outcome of MCI.
• Further research is needed on the specificity and predictive validity of these screening tools.