Home › Research › Mild cognitive impairment
Mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review
Mariani E, Monastero R, Mecocci P.. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2007-08-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
MCI is a nosological entity proposed as an intermediate state between normal aging and dementia. The syndrome can be divided into two broad subtypes: amnestic MCI (aMCI) characterized by reduced memory, and non-amnestic MCI (naMCI) in which other cognitive functions rather than memory are mostly impaired. aMCI seems to represent an early stage of AD, while the outcomes of the naMCI subtypes appear more heterogeneous--including vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia or dementia with Lewy bodies--but this aspect is still under debate. MCI in fact represents a condition with multiple sources of heterogeneity, including clinical presentation, etiology, and prognosis. To improve classification and prognosis, there is a need for more sensitive instruments specifically developed for MCI as well as for more reliable methods to determine its progression or improvement. Current clinical criteria for MCI should be updated to include restriction in complex ADL; also the diagnostic and prognostic role of behavioral symptoms and motor dysfunctions should be better defined. A multidisciplinary diagnostic approach including biological and neuroimaging techniques may probably represent the best option to predict the conversion from MCI to dementia. In this review we discuss the most recent aspects related to the epidemiological, clinical, neuropathological, neuroimaging, biochemical and therapeutic aspects of MCI, with specific attention to possible markers of conversion to dementia.
Key findings
- MCI in fact represents a condition with multiple sources of heterogeneity, including clinical presentation, etiology, and prognosis.
- To improve classification and prognosis, there is a need for more sensitive instruments specifically developed for MCI as well as for more reliable methods to determine its progression or improvement.
- Current clinical criteria for MCI should be updated to include restriction in complex ADL; also the diagnostic and prognostic role of behavioral symptoms and motor dysfunctions should be better defined.
- A multidisciplinary diagnostic approach including biological and neuroimaging techniques may probably represent the best option to predict the conversion from MCI to dementia.
- In this review we discuss the most recent aspects related to the epidemiological, clinical, neuropathological, neuroimaging, biochemical and therapeutic aspects of MCI, with specific attention to possible markers of conversion to dementia.
Why it matters
This review describes mild cognitive impairment as a condition with multiple causes and outcomes, where the amnestic subtype seems to represent an early stage of Alzheimer's disease while other subtypes have more varied outcomes. It calls for better tools and a multidisciplinary approach to predict conversion, and does not test any treatment.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 56/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a systematic review of all the studies on the question. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Alzheimer s Disease: journal h-index 218 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A systematic review of all the studies on the question (from PubMed type “Systematic Review”) |
| 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 | 2007 — within 20 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 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 247 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 11.8 citations a year over 21 year(s) since 2007 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 11 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 23 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Patrizia Mecocci: h-index 108 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Perugia: institution h-index 747 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 17851192) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 56 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3233/jad-2007-12104
- PubMed: 17851192
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Alzheimer s Disease →
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
Mariani, E., Monastero, R., & Mecocci, P. (2007). Mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-2007-12104
Vancouver
Mariani E, Monastero R, Mecocci P. Mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. 2007. doi:10.3233/jad-2007-12104. PMID: 17851192.
BibTeX
@article{mariani2007-17851192,
author = {Mariani, E. and Monastero, R. and Mecocci, P.},
title = {{Mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review}},
journal = {Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.3233/jad-2007-12104},
pmid = {17851192},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-2007-12104}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 25.
Later studies that cite this one
11 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references. Showing the 8 highest-scoring.