Age-associated memory impairment and dementia

Summary tudy was performed on 54 women, 29 of them were affected by ageassociated memory impairment (AAMI) and 25 with normal mental function. All patients were examined by using the mini mental state examination (MMSE) and the logical memory (LM) subtest of the Wechsler memory scale in 1991, and the same testing was repeated on them after 5 years. The follow up total scores were compared to the original data by using the Studentʹs t test for paired samples. Two subjects, previously included in the AAMI group, showed an evolution towards dementia, according to the DSM-IV and the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria (probable dementia). This observation is in agreement with the results of others. The lack of specific markers for the preclinical stages of dementia suggests that patients meeting the criteria for AAMI should undergo a follow up to reveal the very early pathological signs and a possible progression of the symptoms.