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Outcomes of mild cognitive impairment by definition: a population study
Ganguli M, Snitz BE, Saxton JA, Chang CC, Lee CW, Vander Bilt J, Hughes TF, Loewenstein DA et al.. Archives of neurology, 2011-06-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been defined in several ways. Objective To determine the 1-year outcomes of MCI by different definitions at the population level. Design Inception cohort with 1-year follow-up. Participants were classified as having MCI using the following definitions operationalized for this study: amnestic MCI by Mayo criteria, expanded MCI by International Working Group criteria, Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) = 0.5, and a purely cognitive classification into amnestic and nonamnestic MCI. Setting General community. Participants Stratified random population-based sample of 1982 individuals 65 years and older. Main outcome measures For each MCI definition, there were 3 possible outcomes: worsening (progression to dementia [CDR ≥ 1] or severe cognitive impairment), improvement (reversion to CDR = 0 or normal cognition), and stability (unchanged CDR or cognitive status). Results Regardless of MCI definition, over 1 year, a small proportion of participants progressed to CDR > 1 (range, 0%-3%) or severe cognitive impairment (0%-20%) at rates higher than their cognitively normal peers. Somewhat larger proportions of participants improved or reverted to normal (6%-53%). Most participants remained stable (29%-92%). Where definitions focused on memory impairment and on multiple cognitive domains, higher proportions progressed and lower proportions reverted on the CDR. Conclusions As ascertained by several operational definitions, MCI is a heterogeneous entity at the population level but progresses to dementia at rates higher than in normal elderly individuals. Proportions of participants progressing to dementia are lower and proportions reverting to normal are higher than in clinical populations. Memory impairments and impairments in multiple domains lead to greater progression and lesser improvement. Research criteria may benefit from validation at the community level before incorporation into clinical practice.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Ganguli, M., Snitz, B. E., Saxton, J. A., Chang, C. C., Lee, C. W., Vander Bilt, J., et al. (2011). Outcomes of mild cognitive impairment by definition: a population study. Archives of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneurol.2011.101
Vancouver
Ganguli M, Snitz BE, Saxton JA, Chang CC, Lee CW, Vander Bilt J, et al. Outcomes of mild cognitive impairment by definition: a population study. Archives of neurology. 2011. doi:10.1001/archneurol.2011.101. PMID: 21670400.
BibTeX
@article{ganguli2011-21670400,
author = {Ganguli, M. and Snitz, B. E. and Saxton, J. A. and Chang, C. C. and Lee, C. W. and Vander Bilt, J. and Hughes, T. F. and Loewenstein, D. A. and others},
title = {{Outcomes of mild cognitive impairment by definition: a population study}},
journal = {Archives of neurology},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1001/archneurol.2011.101},
pmid = {21670400},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/archneurol.2011.101}
}
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.
Key findings
- Results Regardless of MCI definition, over 1 year, a small proportion of participants progressed to CDR > 1 (range, 0%-3%) or severe cognitive impairment (0%-20%) at rates higher than their cognitively normal peers.
Why it matters
In a population sample of 1,982 people aged 65 and older, only a small proportion of those classified with mild cognitive impairment by any definition progressed to dementia over one year, while some improved or returned to normal and most stayed stable. This shows that a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment does not reliably predict rapid decline.
Study details
- Participants1,982
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 57/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Archives of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Archives of Neurology: journal h-index 353 (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 | 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 | 2011 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,982 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| 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 286 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.8 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 16.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 25 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 32 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Ronald Carl Petersen: h-index 209 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Mayo Clinic: institution h-index 1,606 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21670400) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 57 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1001/archneurol.2011.101
- PubMed: 21670400
- Original source →
- Free full text: IUScholarWorks (Indiana University) →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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