Study Of Memory Characteristics And Syndromes Defined By Traditional Chinese Medicine In Mild Cognitive Impairment

Objective: To investigate the memory characteristics and the syndromes defined by traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in mild cognitive impairment (MCI).Methods: Memory and cognitive function were assessed using Clinical Memory Scale (CMS) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The performances in CMS and MMSE were compared between the patients with MCI, age-associated memory impairment (AAMI), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and normal elderly. The serum p-amyloid protein (Aβ) level was determined using ELISA. A syndrome scale was used to diagnose the syndromes of subjects. The diagnosis of MCI, AD, AAMI was made according to Petersen's criteria, NINCDS-ADRDA and Crook's criteria, respectively. Results:1. The MCI group performed significantly worse on the following subtests: pointing memory, picture free recall, meaningless picture recall, associating learning and portrait associating recall subtests of CMS and delayed recall subtest of MMSE, compared with the NCS group. But there was no statistically significant difference in MMSE total scores among MCI, AAMI and NCS. AD group had a significant lower MMSE total score than those of the three nondemented groups.2. The ROC curves showed that MMSE total score may separated aMCI (≤27) from NCS by sensitivity 87.4% and specificity 77.6%3. There was no significant difference in serum Aβ_1-42 and Aβ_1-42 level among the four groups.4. Compared with NCS and AAMI groups, the MCI and AD groups had a higher level of lipoprotein(a) [LP(a)]. But there was no significant difference in serum TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C level among four groups.5. The MCI and AD groups had higher frequencies of syndromes of Deficiency of kidney Qi, Phlegm and Blood stasis than NCS group, and lower frequency of single syndrome and higher frequency of complex syndromes.Suggestions:The MCI subjects were characterized by the impairment on short-term memory and delayed recall. The serum LP(a) level may be correlated with memory and cognitive impairment in the MCI and AD patients. Deficiency of kidney Qi, Phlegm and Blood stasis may play more important role in MCI and AD, syndromes defined by TCM of which were more complex than that of NCS.