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From mild cognitive impairment to subjective cognitive decline: conceptual and methodological evolution
Cheng YW, Chen TF, Chiu MJ.. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 2017-02-16
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Identification of subjects at the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is fundamental for drug development and possible intervention or prevention of cognitive decline. The concept of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) evolved during the past two decades to define subjects at the transitional stage between normal aging and dementia. Evidence from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies has shown that MCI is associated with an increased risk of positive AD biomarkers and an increased annual conversion rate of 5%-17% to AD. The presence of AD biomarkers in subjects with MCI was associated with an even higher risk of progression to dementia. However, earlier clinical trials for pharmacotherapy in subjects with MCI were disappointing. To extend the spectrum of AD to an earlier stage before MCI, subjective cognitive decline (SCD) was introduced and was defined as self-reported cognitive decline before the deficits could be detected by cognitive tests. Subjects with SCD have an increased risk of underlying AD pathology. However, SCD can also develop secondary to other heterogeneous etiologies, including other neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases, personality traits, physical conditions, and medication use. Several clinical and biomarker features were proposed to predict risk of conversion to AD in subjects with SCD. Further longitudinal studies are needed to support the validity of these high-risk features.
Key findings
- Evidence from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies has shown that MCI is associated with an increased risk of positive AD biomarkers and an increased annual conversion rate of 5%-17% to AD.
- The presence of AD biomarkers in subjects with MCI was associated with an even higher risk of progression to dementia.
- Subjects with SCD have an increased risk of underlying AD pathology.
Why it matters
This paper describes how the concept of mild cognitive impairment evolved to identify people at risk of Alzheimer's, with an annual conversion rate of 5%-17%, and how subjective cognitive decline was introduced to capture an even earlier stage. It notes that earlier drug trials in mild cognitive impairment were disappointing and that more long-term studies are needed, but it reports no treatment.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment: journal h-index 126 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in 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 | 2 / 5 | 2017 — 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 149 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 13.5 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 8 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 48 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Ming‐Jang Chiu: h-index 51 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | National Taiwan University: institution h-index 752 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 28243102) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s123428
- PubMed: 28243102
- Original source →
- Free full text: Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment →
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Cheng, Y. W., Chen, T. F., & Chiu, M. J. (2017). From mild cognitive impairment to subjective cognitive decline: conceptual and methodological evolution. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment. https://doi.org/10.2147/ndt.s123428
Vancouver
Cheng YW, Chen TF, Chiu MJ. From mild cognitive impairment to subjective cognitive decline: conceptual and methodological evolution. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment. 2017. doi:10.2147/ndt.s123428. PMID: 28243102.
BibTeX
@article{cheng2017-28243102,
author = {Cheng, Y. W. and Chen, T. F. and Chiu, M. J.},
title = {{From mild cognitive impairment to subjective cognitive decline: conceptual and methodological evolution}},
journal = {Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.2147/ndt.s123428},
pmid = {28243102},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2147/ndt.s123428}
}
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