What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Systematic Review. Population: Mild Cognitive Impairment (n=73). Intervention: Mild Cognitive Impairment vs. Healthy elderly. Primary outcome: Significant higher-level executive functions alterations.

What does this research mean for the field?

Elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment exhibit a significantly higher prevalence of alterations in higher-level executive functions, including planning, reasoning, problem-solving, and fluid intelligence, compared to healthy elderly individuals. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

February 23, 2022Open Access

Higher-Level Executive Functions in Healthy Elderly and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review

Key Result

A systematic review of 73 studies showed that 65.8% confirmed significant higher-level executive function alterations in elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment compared to healthy elderly.

Study Design

Type

Systematic Review (n=73)

Structured PICO

Are higher-level executive function deficits more prevalent in elderly individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment compared to healthy elderly?

Population

Elderly individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and healthy elderly (73 studies included)

Intervention

Assessment of higher-level executive functions (planning, reasoning, problem solving, and fluid intelligence)

Comparator

Healthy elderly

Outcome

Relationship between higher-level executive functions and healthy and pathological aging (deficits in executive functions)surrogate

This systematic review highlights a strong prevalence of higher-level executive function deficits in elderly individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment compared to healthy elderly.

Abstract

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a clinical syndrome characterized by a moderate decline in one or more cognitive functions with a preserved autonomy in daily life activities. MCI exhibits cognitive, behavioral, psychological symptoms. The executive functions (EFs) are key functions for everyday life and physical and mental health and allow for the behavior to adapt to external changes. Higher-level executive functions develop from basic EFs (inhibition, working memory, attentional control, and cognitive flexibility). They are planning, reasoning, problem solving, and fluid intelligence (Gf). This systematic review investigates the relationship between higher-level executive functions and healthy and pathological aging, assuming the role of executive functions deficits as a predictor of cognitive decline. The systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA Statement. A total of 73 studies were identified. The results indicate that 65.8% of the studies confirm significant EFs alterations in MCI (56.8% planning, 50% reasoning, 100% problem solving, 71.4% fluid intelligence). These results seem to highlight a strong prevalence of higher-level executive functions deficits in MCI elderly than in healthy elderly.

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