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Functional deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment: prediction of AD
Tabert MH, Albert SM, Borukhova-Milov L, Camacho Y, Pelton G, Liu X, Stern Y, Devanand DP.. Neurology, 2002-03-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective To evaluate the predictive utility of self-reported and informant-reported functional deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) for the follow-up diagnosis of probable AD. Methods The Pfeffer Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ) and Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Scale were administered at baseline. Patients were followed at 6-month intervals, and matched normal control subjects (NC) were followed annually. Results Self-reported deficits were higher for patients with MCI than for NC. At baseline, self- and informant-reported functional deficits were significantly greater for patients who converted to AD on follow-up evaluation than for patients who did not convert, even after controlling for age, education, and modified Mini-Mental State Examination scores. While converters showed significantly more informant- than self-reported deficits at baseline, nonconverters showed the reverse pattern. Survival analyses further revealed that informant-reported deficits (but not self-reported deficits) and a discrepancy score indicating greater informant- than self-reported functional deficits significantly predicted the development of AD. The discrepancy index showed high specificity and sensitivity for progression to AD within 2 years. Conclusions These findings indicate that in patients with MCI, the patient's lack of awareness of functional deficits identified by informants strongly predicts a future diagnosis of AD. If replicated, these findings suggest that clinicians evaluating MCI patients should obtain both self-reports and informant reports of functional deficits to help in prediction of long-term outcome.
Key findings
- Results Self-reported deficits were higher for patients with MCI than for NC.
- At baseline, self- and informant-reported functional deficits were significantly greater for patients who converted to AD on follow-up evaluation than for patients who did not convert, even after controlling for age, education, and modified Mini-Mental State Examination scores.
- While converters showed significantly more informant- than self-reported deficits at baseline, nonconverters showed the reverse pattern.
- Survival analyses further revealed that informant-reported deficits (but not self-reported deficits) and a discrepancy score indicating greater informant- than self-reported functional deficits significantly predicted the development of AD.
- Conclusions These findings indicate that in patients with MCI, the patient's lack of awareness of functional deficits identified by informants strongly predicts a future diagnosis of AD.
Why it matters
In patients with mild cognitive impairment, a greater gap between informant-reported and self-reported functional difficulties predicted progression to Alzheimer's disease within two years with high sensitivity and specificity. This suggests that asking a family member about a patient's daily functioning could help identify who is most likely to develop the disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
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.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (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 | 1 / 5 | 2002 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 482 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 18.5 citations a year over 26 year(s) since 2002 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 28 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 25 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author D. P. Devanand: h-index 44 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Columbia University: institution h-index 1,824 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 11889240) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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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 names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Tabert, M. H., Albert, S. M., Borukhova-Milov, L., Camacho, Y., Pelton, G., Liu, X., et al. (2002). Functional deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment: prediction of AD. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.58.5.758
Vancouver
Tabert MH, Albert SM, Borukhova-Milov L, Camacho Y, Pelton G, Liu X, et al. Functional deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment: prediction of AD. Neurology. 2002. doi:10.1212/wnl.58.5.758. PMID: 11889240.
BibTeX
@article{tabert2002-11889240,
author = {Tabert, M. H. and Albert, S. M. and Borukhova-Milov, L. and Camacho, Y. and Pelton, G. and Liu, X. and Stern, Y. and Devanand, D. P.},
title = {{Functional deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment: prediction of AD}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2002},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.58.5.758},
pmid = {11889240},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.58.5.758}
}
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