Early-Onset vs. Late-Onset Mild Cognitive Impairment: A qualitative comparison

Introduction: traditionally, research on mild cognitive impairment has concentrated on individuals over 65 due to its higher prevalence in this age group. However, evidence indicates that it can also affect younger adults. Objective: to perform a qualitative comparison of the clinical, psychopathological, and neuropsychological features of a sample of patients with this diagnosis. Method: a retrospective study was conducted using 717 medical records from a Health Service Provider Institution. Two groups were established: 1) Early-onset, comprising clinical records of patients aged 18 to 64; and 2) Late-onset, comprising clinical records of patients aged 65 to 95. Results: the most prevalent subtype in both groups was the amnesic multiple domains. Anhedonia was the most frequent symptom in both groups, followed by irritability, low frustration tolerance, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Results from the two neuropsychological assessments revealed moderate impairments in memory, language, attention and executive functions in both groups. Conclusions: the term ‘cognitive impairment’ has historically been associated with a ‘degenerative’ connotation, initially linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Yet, early cases of cognitive impairment reveal that other medical conditions can also be associated with mild neuropsychological disturbances leading to cognitive decline, without necessarily progressing to dementia.