Patterns of Cognitive Decline in Presymptomatic Alzheimer Disease

Abstract

IN ALZHEIMER disease (AD) and other chronic diseases, it is hard to ascertain how long the underlying pathological disorder has been present before clinical manifestations become apparent. Very mild cognitive impairments might be objectively identifiable in the presymptomatic or preclinical phase of AD.^1-6 Reliable, objective means of early detection would allow incipient AD to be identified not only before clinical diagnostic criteria are fulfilled but even before the first symptoms appear and would play an important role in potential early intervention.