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Early versus late MCI: Improved MCI staging using a neuropsychological approach
Edmonds EC, McDonald CR, Marshall A, Thomas KR, Eppig J, Weigand AJ, Delano-Wood L, Galasko DR et al.. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 2019-02-06
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Introduction The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) separates "early" and "late" mild cognitive impairment (MCI) based on a single memory test. We compared ADNI's MCI classifications to our neuropsychological approach, which more broadly assesses cognitive abilities. Methods Three hundred thirty-six ADNI-2 participants were classified as "early" or "late" MCI. Cluster analysis was performed on neuropsychological test data, and participants were reclassified based on cluster results. These two staging approaches were compared on progression rates, cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, and cortical thickness profiles. Results There was little correspondence between the two staging methods. ADNI's early MCI group included a large proportion of false-positive diagnostic errors. The reclassified neuropsychological MCI groups showed steeper survival curves and more abnormal biomarkers. Conclusions Our novel neuropsychological approach improved the staging of MCI by (1) capturing individuals at an early symptomatic stage, (2) minimizing false-positive cases, and (3) identifying a late MCI group further along the disease trajectory.
Key findings
- Cluster analysis was performed on neuropsychological test data, and participants were reclassified based on cluster results.
- Results There was little correspondence between the two staging methods.
Why it matters
This study found little correspondence between the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative's single-memory-test staging of early and late mild cognitive impairment and a broader neuropsychological approach, which showed steeper progression and more abnormal biomarkers. It is about improving how mild cognitive impairment is staged and does not test any treatment, cure or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 49/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 47 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 49 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 141 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 15.7 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 57 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California San Diego: institution h-index 1,852 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30737119) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 47 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 47 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 49 out of 100. |
| Total | 49 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Edmonds, E. C., McDonald, C. R., Marshall, A., Thomas, K. R., Eppig, J., Weigand, A. J., et al. (2019). Early versus late MCI: Improved MCI staging using a neuropsychological approach. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2018.12.009
Vancouver
Edmonds EC, McDonald CR, Marshall A, Thomas KR, Eppig J, Weigand AJ, et al. Early versus late MCI: Improved MCI staging using a neuropsychological approach. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2019. doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2018.12.009. PMID: 30737119.
BibTeX
@article{edmonds2019-30737119,
author = {Edmonds, E. C. and McDonald, C. R. and Marshall, A. and Thomas, K. R. and Eppig, J. and Weigand, A. J. and Delano-Wood, L. and Galasko, D. R. and others},
title = {{Early versus late MCI: Improved MCI staging using a neuropsychological approach}},
journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1016/j.jalz.2018.12.009},
pmid = {30737119},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2018.12.009}
}
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