Mild Behavioral Impairment: A Population-Based Study

The authors conducted a population-based investigation of mild behavioral impairment (MBI) in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging setting. MBI refers to new onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) among adults ages ≥50 that is not due to a psychiatric disorder and that may be a precursor of cognitive decline or dementia.

The Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire was used in a cross-sectional study of participants ≥50 years without dementia to assess for NPS. Linear and logistic regression models were estimated and adjusted for age, sex, and education.

The study sample comprised 2,713 participants (mean±SD age=74.6±9.5 years, 47% women). Overall, 11% of the participants had MBI at the first follow-up; 2,498 were cognitively unimpaired (10% of whom had MBI), and 215 had mild cognitive impairment (MCI; 29% of whom had MBI). Having MBI was associated with significantly higher odds of MCI (OR=3.47, 95% CI=2.46-4.84) and lower cognitive scores. Severe MBI was associated with even higher MCI odds (OR=5.15, 95% CI=2.73-9.37) and lower cognitive scores.

In this study of older adults, participants with MCI were almost three times more likely than cognitively unimpaired participants to have MBI. Having MBI was associated with increased odds of having MCI and lower cognitive scores.