Home › Research › Mild cognitive impairment
Visuospatial memory in healthy elderly, AD and MCI: a review
Iachini I, Iavarone A, Senese VP, Ruotolo F, Ruggiero G.. Current aging science, 2009-03-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
In the literature it is commonly reported that several spatial abilities decline with normal aging, even though such a decline is not uniform. So far, it is not yet clear which spatial components present a normal age-related decline, which ones are preserved and at what point the deficit is so severe to represent an index of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or a symptom of potential degenerative progression as in the early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD). In particular, AD (from early onset) is characterised by impairments in constructive abilities, visuospatial intelligence, spatial short-term memory deficits, and disorders of spatial orientation (topographical disorientation). MCI indicates a condition, generally affecting older individuals, characterized by cognitive deficits including memory and/or non memory impairments and at high risk of progression to dementia. Three MCI subgroups have been distinguished and a very high risk of developing AD is associated to the amnestic MCI subtypes. Further, recent studies have suggested that the allocentric component of spatial memory might be taken as predictor of AD from MCI. Given the frequency of visuospatial deficits in early-stage AD, evaluation of visuospatial processes is a promising approach to find predictive markers of AD. Here we report a review of the literature exploring specific visuospatial components in normal aging, MCI, and AD. In this way we could shed some light on the role of these components in the progression from MCI to AD and pave the way for future studies.
Key findings
- Further, recent studies have suggested that the allocentric component of spatial memory might be taken as predictor of AD from MCI.
Why it matters
This review looks at visuospatial abilities in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease, and notes that the allocentric component of spatial memory has been suggested as a possible predictor of Alzheimer's in people with mild cognitive impairment. It is a review of existing literature and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed 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 | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Current aging science) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Current Aging Science: journal h-index 52 (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 | 2009 — 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 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 234 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 12.3 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 3 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 29 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Gennaro Ruggiero: h-index 34 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli": institution h-index 492 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 20021398) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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
Iachini, I., Iavarone, A., Senese, V. P., Ruotolo, F., & Ruggiero, G. (2009). Visuospatial memory in healthy elderly, AD and MCI: a review. Current aging science. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874609810902010043
Vancouver
Iachini I, Iavarone A, Senese VP, Ruotolo F, Ruggiero G. Visuospatial memory in healthy elderly, AD and MCI: a review. Current aging science. 2009. doi:10.2174/1874609810902010043. PMID: 20021398.
BibTeX
@article{iachini2009-20021398,
author = {Iachini, I. and Iavarone, A. and Senese, V. P. and Ruotolo, F. and Ruggiero, G.},
title = {{Visuospatial memory in healthy elderly, AD and MCI: a review}},
journal = {Current aging science},
year = {2009},
doi = {10.2174/1874609810902010043},
pmid = {20021398},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2174/1874609810902010043}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 16.
Later studies that cite this one
3 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.