An examination of semantic performance in mild cognitive impairment progressors and nonprogressors
Article [Accepted Manuscript]
Abstract(s)
Background. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a risk factor for developing
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and about half of older people with MCI will progress to AD
within the next five years. The aim of the present study was to compare the semantic
performance of MCI progressors (MCI-p) and non-progressors (MCI-np). The hypothesis
was that MCI-p would present with poorer semantic performance relative to MCI-np at
baseline, indicating that semantic deficits may increase the risk of future decline toward
AD.
Method. Fifty-six MCI participants (aged 65-89) from the CIMA-Q study were analyzed,
with 18 progressing and 38 remaining stable over two years. ANCOVA assessed their
initial semantic and non-semantic cognitive performance, and mixed ANOVAs gauged
longitudinal patterns of cognitive decline at the 2-year follow-up.
Results. In the semantic domain, MCI-p performed significantly worse than MCI-np at
baseline on two semantic tests (category fluency and object decision). In other cognitive
domains, MCI-p performed worse than MCI-np on a test of executive functions (cognitive
flexibility) but showed similar performance on a test of episodic memory. There were no
significant differences between groups in the rates of progression on semantic tests over
the 2-year period, but a steeper decline was observed in MCI-p at follow-up on tests of
global cognition, episodic memory, and processing speed.
Conclusion. This suggest that MCI patients who present with semantic memory
impairment in addition to episodic memory impairment are at greater risk of future
progression to AD.
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