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Early Cognitive Predictors of Vascular Dementia: A Population-based Longitudinal Study in Chinese Elderly

Juebin Huang, Zhenxin Zhang, Xia Hong, Jianmin Wang, Jing Wei and Hongbo Wen

Background and Objectve: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as pre-dementia syndrome has not been thouroughly studied in underdeveloped regions with cultural and social-economic backgrounds different from Western countries. This study was designed to characterize cognitive profiles of MCI prodromal for vascular dementia (VaD) among an elderly Chinese population.

Methods: Subjects identified with MCI in a large epidemiological study of dementia and major subtypes in Beijing, China, were re-examined three years later, by repeating the baseline psychometric protocol. Baseline versus follow-up psychometric performance was compared among two outcome groups: 1) MCI converting to VaD (MCI-VaD) and 2) MCI-Non-converters.

Results: 121 of 175 subjects identified as MCI at baseline were available for follow-up, with 18 diagnosed VaD, 70 didn’t convert to any dementias. At baseline, MCI-VaD displayed extensive impairments in attention, naming and verbal fluency. At the time of dementia diagnosed, multiple cognitive domains declined significantly.

Conclusions: The present study provided additional evidence for the existence of prodromal VaD in an elderly Chinese population. The distinctive cognitive patterns of prodromal VaD allowed for an early intervention and improved control of vascular risk factors, which were less well controlled for than in developed countries.