The Japanese journal of neuropsychology

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ArticleTitle	Assessment and intervention for senile cognitive dysfunction
Language	J
AuthorList	Masaru Mimura, M.D.
Affiliation	Department of Neuropsychiatry, Showa University School of Medicine
Publication	Japanese Journal of Neuropsychology: 20 (2), 82-90, 2004
Received
Accepted
Abstract	To work with patients with dementia or Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a nation-wide important issue in Japan. Early diagnostic assessment and intervention for questionable dementia or very mild dementia is of great clinical relevance. In this review, current concepts of very mild dementia including "mild cognitive impairment" (Petersen et al., 1997) and "aging-associated cognitive decline" (Levy, 1994) were discussed. Several measures including biochemical, neuroimaging and neuropsychological indices have been reported useful to predict future prognosis of cognitive decline of very mild dementia. Among neuropsychological indices, tests on list learning and executive functions appeared to contribute most to detect AD progression. Pharmacologic interventions by administering cholinergic agents and non-pharmacologic interventions such as cognitive training are known to counteract cognitive deterioration of early AD. A growing number of evidences have suggested that an intra-brain functional network of the aged or patients with mild AD show modification or re-organization by cognitive intervention.
Keywords	mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, cholinergic agent, cognitive rehabilitation, driving