ABSTRACT
Studies of the transition from normal aging to early dementia have been a primary focus of dementia research at the Mayo Clinic for over two decades. Our studies of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have occurred in concert with our Mayo Older Americans Normative studies (MOANS). The bulk of the MOANS and MCI studies have been based on the Mayo Alzheimer's Disease Patient Registry (ADPR). In this chapter, we briefly review the history of the Mayo ADPR, including its methods. We will next review our criteria for MCI and the evolution of our conceptualization of this issue. We will then describe a series of studies of the correlates and outcomes of MCI as defined in this manner. Finally, we will discuss several considerations and concerns that have arisen from this body of work.
