Early Detection of Cognitive-Communicative Change Associated with Mild Cognitive Impairment

This study investigated whether performance on a complex discourse production task differentiates individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from those with normal cognition and to extend the findings of a previous study (Reference Blinded). The study also attempted to identify the role of executive function (EF) in discourse production. MCI is an evolving, intermediate diagnostic category between normal cognitive aging and dementia (Holsinger, Deveau, Boustani, & Williams, 2007; Petersen et al., 2001; Taler & Phillips, 2008). Over time, some individuals with MCI remain stable or return to normal functioning. Conversely, 50% or more of persons with MCI progress to dementia within five years, making MCI a primary risk factor for dementia (Gauthier et al., 2006; Kantarci et al., 2009).Currently, no standardized test of cognitive-communicative function designed specifically for persons with MCI exists. However, it is plausible that similar to dementia, subtle changes in communicative abilities may be the initial symptom of declining neurological status. Presuming that subtle decline may initially appear within the context of relatively complex linguistic behaviors, the ideal task for the detection of slight changes would be one in which the complexity is sufficient enough to tax seemingly intact cognitive-linguistic abilities. A complex discourse production task seems appropriate because the task requires higher-order abilities such as planning, problem solving, cognitive flexibility (References Blinded) which have been found to be impaired in individuals with MCI (Zhang, Han, Verhaeghen, & Nilsson, 2007). The research questions for the study were: 1) What are the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of spoken discourse in cognitively normal individuals and individuals with MCI? 2) What is the relation between the spoken discourse production and the higher-order cognitive skills in cognitively normal individuals and individuals with MCI