[Cognitive impairment/dementia: assessment and follow-up. Functional aspects]

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Functional status is increasingly vital in clinical management, particularly for mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
• Functional alterations are key differentiators between MCI and dementia.
• Early detection and diagnosis of dementia are facilitated by adequate MCI assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe assessment tools for functional status in mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
• To highlight the importance of functional status in MCI progression and dementia diagnosis.
• To emphasize functional status as a therapeutic target and outcome indicator.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing performance tests to objectively measure mobility.
• Measuring activities of daily living (ADL), including advanced, instrumental, and basic ADLs.
• Employing specific tools like the Sydney Test of Activities of Daily Living in Memory Disorders (STAM) and Mongil's tests.

Main Results:

• The article details various assessment tools for functional status in MCI.
• It underscores the necessity of combining performance tests and ADL measurements for comprehensive patient follow-up.
• Functional status assessment aids in identifying MCI progression and early dementia stages.

Conclusions:

• Patient follow-up in MCI requires a combination of performance tests and ADL assessments.
• Functional status is intrinsically linked to MCI and serves as a critical therapeutic target.
• Accurate assessment of functional status is essential for early dementia diagnosis and management.