Neuropsychiatric symptoms in subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI): Detecting changes over time with the Mild Behavioral Impairment Checklist (MBI‐C)

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundNeurobehavioral Symptoms (NPS) have been usually measured with the Neuropsychiatric‐Inventory (NPI‐Q) (Kaufer et al., 2000) in pre‐dementia individuals. However, this instrument was designed to dementia states. The Mild Behavioral Impairment Checklist (MBI‐C) (Ismail et al., 2017) is an instrument developed to evaluate NPS in pre‐dementia states, including Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and people with Subjective Cognitive Complaints (SCC). Evidence of longitudinal behavioral change obtained with the MBI‐C is still scarce. Our objective was to compare NPS scores, measured with the NPI‐Q and the MBI‐C, in MCI and SCC participants, at follow‐up.MethodTwo hundred forty participants from the Compostela Ageing Study recruited from primary care health centers, were classified into two groups, MCI (84) and SCC (166). Socio‐demographic, neuropsychological and NPS measures, including MBI‐C and NPI‐Q total scores on severity, were collected at baseline and at follow‐up (mean interval, 24 months) (Table 1). Instrument (NPI‐Q and MBI‐C) total score differences as a function of measurement Time (baseline vs follow‐up) were analyzed using repeated measure ANOVAs including Group (SCC vs MCI) as inter‐subject factor.ResultsSignificant main effects of Time, F(1, 251)=7.68, p = .006, ηp 2=.030, observed power=.789, and Group, F(1, 251)=9.88, p = .002, ηp 2=.038, observed power=.879, were observed for the NPI‐Q total scores (Figure 1). Time*Group interaction was not found. Mixed ANOVA for the MBI‐C total score showed significant main effect of Group, F(1, 248)=13.93, p < .001, ηp 2=.053, observed power=.961, and Time*Group interaction, F(1, 248)=4.89, p = .028, ηp 2=.020, observed power=.596. Post hoc Bonferroni tests for the MBI‐C total score showed (Figure 2) significantly higher behavioral impairment in MCI than in SCC group in both time measurements (baseline and follow‐up).ConclusionsTime main effect in NPI‐Q total scores showed decreases in severity of behavioral symptoms in the follow‐up measurement in spite of the Group (SCC vs MCI). On the contrary, MBI‐C scores pointed‐out slight increases in the follow‐up measurement and, considering the descriptive trends, particularly in MCI group. Only the MBI‐C was able to detect significant differences between MCI and SCC groups both in baseline and follow‐up measurements.