Age, family history, and memory and future risk for cognitive impairment

Abstract

Purpose: To provide a clinical tool for calculating a patient's future risk for developing cognitive impairment based on age, family history, and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) retention. Participants: 1,019 cognitively normal persons followed for an average of 5 years; 159 participants were eventually diagnosed with cognitive impairment. Results: Risk of developing cognitive impairment increases with age and family history, but decreases with better memory performance. A nomogram is provided for calculation of relative risk of developing cognitive impairment in combinations of age, family history, and memory performance. Conclusions: These results enhance clinicians' ability to provide information to a patient about risk of cognitive impairment.

Keywords:

• Cognitive decline
• Dementia
• Risk
• Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test
• Family history

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by National Institute of Aging Grants P50 AG16574 and U01 AG06786, by the Robert H. and Clarice Smith and Abigail Van Buren Alzheimer's Disease Research Program and by the Mayo Foundation. There are no conflicts of interest for any author relevant to the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript.