Awareness of deficits in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: do MCI patients have impaired insight?

Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2004;17(3):181-7. doi: 10.1159/000076354. Epub 2004 Jan 20.

Abstract

In this study we investigated impaired awareness of cognitive deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Very few studies have addressed this topic, and methodological inconsistencies make the comparison of previous studies difficult. From a prospective research program 36 consecutive patients with mild AD (MMSE above 19), 30 with amnesic MCI and 33 matched controls were examined. Using three methods for awareness assessment we found no significant differences in the level of awareness between MCI and AD. Both groups had impaired awareness and significant heterogeneity in the clinical presentation of awareness. The results demonstrate that subjective memory problems should not be a mandatory prerequisite in suspected dementia or MCI, which makes reports from informants together with thorough clinical interview and observation central when assessing suspected dementia disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis
  • Alzheimer Disease / psychology*
  • Awareness*
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
  • Cognition Disorders / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Memory
  • Memory Disorders / psychology
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon