First Analysis of Mild Behavioral Impairment in a Sample of Mexican Older Adults

Mild Behavioral Impairment (MBI) constitutes a late-life transition state that is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. Herein, we described the MBI construct and its relationship with cognitive status in Mexican-Mestizos (MM) older adults. Participants were classified according to their cognitive and behavioral statuses using tests administered to older adults and their informants. APOE_rs429358/rs7412 variants were genotyped by real-time PCR. Multivariate correlation and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) were used in statistical analysis. 246 participants were included, 13.0% had subjective cognitive decline and 30.9% mild cognitive impairment. 37% (91/246) of participants from all the cognitive spectrum met the MBI criteria; among this group, being carrier of APOEε4 was associated with two subdomains of the MBI. Subjective cognitive complaint, symptoms of depression and cognitive decline reported by the informant were associated with an increased risk for MBI (ORs in the range of 4.7-15.89). The first three components of PCA explained 68.0% of the variance of the data set, including MBI-checklist total score as a main contributor. Well-known risk factors for dementia also correlated with this PCA. MBI could be a relevant marker for cognitive decline in non-demented MM elderly people.