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Factors predicting reversion from mild cognitive impairment to normal cognitive functioning: a population-based study
Sachdev PS, Lipnicki DM, Crawford J, Reppermund S, Kochan NA, Trollor JN, Wen W, Draper B et al.. PloS one, 2013-03-27
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Introduction Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia. However, many individuals diagnosed with MCI are found to have reverted to normal cognition on follow-up. This study investigated factors predicting or associated with reversion from MCI to normal cognition. Methods Our analyses considered 223 participants (48.9% male) aged 71-89 years, drawn from the prospective, population-based Sydney Memory and Ageing Study. All were diagnosed with MCI at baseline and subsequently classified with either normal cognition or repeat diagnosis of MCI after two years (a further 11 participants who progressed from MCI to dementia were excluded). Associations with reversion were investigated for (1) baseline factors that included diagnostic features, personality, neuroimaging, sociodemographics, lifestyle, and physical and mental health; (2) longitudinal change in potentially modifiable factors. Results There were 66 reverters to normal cognition and 157 non-reverters (stable MCI). Regression analyses identified diagnostic features as most predictive of prognosis, with reversion less likely in participants with multiple-domain MCI (p = 0.011), a moderately or severely impaired cognitive domain (p = 0.002 and p = 0.006), or an informant-based memory complaint (p = 0.031). Reversion was also less likely for participants with arthritis (p = 0.037), but more likely for participants with higher complex mental activity (p = 0.003), greater openness to experience (p = 0.041), better vision (p = 0.014), better smelling ability (p = 0.040), or larger combined volume of the left hippocampus and left amygdala (p Discussion Numerous factors are associated with reversion from MCI to normal cognition. Assessing these factors could facilitate more accurate prognosis of individuals with MCI. Participation in cognitively enriching activities and efforts to lower blood pressure might promote reversion.
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APA 7th
Sachdev, P. S., Lipnicki, D. M., Crawford, J., Reppermund, S., Kochan, N. A., Trollor, J. N., et al. (2013). Factors predicting reversion from mild cognitive impairment to normal cognitive functioning: a population-based study. PloS one. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0059649
Vancouver
Sachdev PS, Lipnicki DM, Crawford J, Reppermund S, Kochan NA, Trollor JN, et al. Factors predicting reversion from mild cognitive impairment to normal cognitive functioning: a population-based study. PloS one. 2013. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0059649. PMID: 23544083.
BibTeX
@article{sachdev2013-23544083,
author = {Sachdev, P. S. and Lipnicki, D. M. and Crawford, J. and Reppermund, S. and Kochan, N. A. and Trollor, J. N. and Wen, W. and Draper, B. and others},
title = {{Factors predicting reversion from mild cognitive impairment to normal cognitive functioning: a population-based study}},
journal = {PloS one},
year = {2013},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0059649},
pmid = {23544083},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0059649}
}
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Key findings
- Introduction Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.
- This study investigated factors predicting or associated with reversion from MCI to normal cognition.
- Results There were 66 reverters to normal cognition and 157 non-reverters (stable MCI).
- Reversion was also less likely for participants with arthritis (p = 0.037), but more likely for participants with higher complex mental activity (p = 0.003), greater openness to experience (p = 0.041), better vision (p = 0.014), better smelling ability (p = 0.040), or larger combined volume of the left hippocampus and left amygdala (p<0.040).
Why it matters
In this population-based study, reversion from mild cognitive impairment to normal cognition was less likely with multiple-domain MCI, a moderately or severely impaired cognitive domain, an informant-based memory complaint, and arthritis, and more likely with higher complex mental activity and greater openness to experience. It identifies factors associated with reversion but does not test a treatment to cause it.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants223
- Effect size48.9%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 64/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for 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 61 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 64 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (PloS one) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | PLoS ONE: journal h-index 594 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2013 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 223 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 194 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 12.9 citations a year over 15 year(s) since 2013 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 9.2× 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 | 2 / 4 | Cited 34 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 | 1 / 3 | UNSW Sydney: institution h-index 1,101 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 23544083) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 61 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 61 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 64 out of 100. |
| Total | 64 / 100 | — |
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