The outcome of elderly patients with cognitive complaints but normal neuropsychological tests.

Elderly patients may present with prominent cognitive complaints and have performances in neuropsychological tests within the normal range for the age and education, and thus do not fulfill the criteria for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). There is insufficient evidence to support the clinical decision in these cases ("pre-MCI"). Forty-three subjects, 11 controls, 15 "pre-MCI," and 17 MCI, were followed for about three and half years with neuropsychological testing and magnetic resonance imaging including volumetric measurements of the hippocampus and amygdala. Two of the "pre-MCI" subjects suffered cognitive and functional deterioration and were diagnosed with dementia. Although the "pre-MCI" subjects as a group had no significant deterioration in neuropsychological tests, they suffered a decline in the total hippocampal volume (P=0.04) along the follow-up time. In contrast, all control subjects remained stable and had no volumetric decreases. As expected, MCI patients underwent significant deterioration in several neuropsychological tests, often progressed to Alzheimer's disease, and showed decreases both in total hippocampal and amygdalar volumes. Elderly people presenting with cognitive complaints may be in an initial phase of a degenerative disorder and should be followed clinically, even if they have normal neuropsychological tests.