Affiliations: [a]
Department of Neurology, Eunpyeong St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea | [b]
Department of Neurology, National Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| [c]
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| [d]
Department of Neurology, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Correspondence:
[*]
Correspondence to: SangYun Kim, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital and Seoul National University College of Medicine, 82, Gumi-ro 173 beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do 13620, Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 31 787 7469; Fax: +82 31 787 4059; E-mail: neuroksy@snu.ac.kr.
Note: [1] These authors contributed equally to this work.
Abstract: Background:Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) refers to self-reported cognitive decline in individuals with normal performance on standardized cognitive tests. Understanding the factors predicting progression from SCD to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is crucial, as approximately 14% of SCD cases progress to dementia and about 27% develop MCI over four years. Objective:This study aims to identify neuropsychological predictors of progression from SCD to MCI, focusing on cognitive domains assessed through neuropsychological tests. Methods:This retrospective study at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital analyzed a cohort of 107 patients diagnosed with SCD through comprehensive assessment. Patients underwent annual neuropsychological testing, including the Digit Span Test, Boston Naming Test, Rey Complex Figure Test, Seoul Verbal Learning Test, and Stroop Test. Results:Annually, these patients underwent neuropsychological tests over a 5-year period; 24 progressed to MCI per NIA-AA criteria. Key predictors of MCI progression included age, ischemic heart disease, and scores from the forward digit span, delayed recall, and Boston naming tests. Lower scores in delayed recall and Boston naming tests significantly correlated with a higher risk of MCI (p < 0.001). Conclusions:These findings suggest a need for targeted management of memory and language functions to monitor disease progression effectively.
