Mild Cognitive Disorders

Abstract

Introduction: Preclinical phases have been established in the more common forms of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Characterization of the prodromal phases has advanced as well, but not enough to allow for a diagnosis of dementia by current criteria. The term Mild Cognitive Disorder (MCD) is commonly used to define an intermediate phase between normal aging and dementia, a phase in which the subject presents with cognitive impairment but remains functional. Method: Review of the available literature. Results: Due to the heterogeneity of the illnesses that can give rise to a dementia, MCD also corresponds to a heterogeneous concept, both clinically and etiologically. At this time, the usefulness of the term MCD derives mainly from its capacity of identifying population at risk amenable to secondary prevention before the diagnosis of dementia is established. Conclusions: Due to the heterogeneity of MCD, measures taken may be unspecific. It is to be hoped that with the discovery of biological markers of AD in all its phases, the notion of MCD will come to be of minor interest, opening the way for a real preventive treatment of the disease. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)