Neuropsychological Correlates of Clinical Progression in Subjective Cognitive Decline

Background: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) refers to self-reported cognitive decline in individuals with normal performance on standardized cognitive tests. Understanding the factors predicting progression from SCD to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is crucial, as approximately 14% of SCD cases progress to dementia and about 27% develop MCI over four years. Objective: This study aims to identify neuropsychological predictors of progression from SCD to MCI, focusing on cognitive domains assessed through neuropsychological tests. Methods: This retrospective study at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital analyzed a cohort of 107 patients diagnosed with SCD through comprehensive assessment. Patients underwent annual neuropsychological testing, including the Digit Results: Annually, these patients underwent neuropsychological tests over a 5-year period; 24 progressed to MCI per NIAAA criteria. Key predictors of MCI progression included age, ischemic heart disease, and scores from the forward digit span, delayed recall, and Boston naming tests. Lower scores in delayed recall and Boston naming tests significantly correlated with Conclusions: These findings suggest a need for targeted management of memory and language functions to monitor disease