EARLY COGNITIVE MARKERS OF THE INCIDENCE OF DEMENTIA AND MORTALITY - A LONGITUDINAL POPULATION-BASED STUDY OF THE OLDEST-OLD

This study examines whether cognitive markers at prior examinations ar e indicative of subsequent dementia and mortality. The sample was comp osed of subjects aged 84-90 at baseline who were reexamined three time s over a 6-year period on a comprehensive biobehavioral battery. Demen tia was evaluated at each examination using DSM-III-R criteria. Result s indicated that incident cases of dementia had lower cognitive scores both 2 and 4 years prior to diagnosis, compared to non-demented survi vors. Evidence for terminal decline was also found, as people who subs equently died also had lower cognitive performance at prior examinatio ns, compared to non-demented survivors. The findings suggest that mild cognitive dysfunction is an important clinical finding among the olde st old and may herald either the onset of dementia or mortality.