Definitions of dementia and predementia states in Alzheimer's disease and vascular cognitive impairment: consensus from the Canadian conference on diagnosis of dementia

There have been several newly proposed sets of diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease/mild cognitive impairment, advanced by the National Institute of Aging/Alzheimer's Association working groups in 2011 and by the International Working Group in 2007 and 2010. These sets each aim to provide broader disease stage coverage with incorporation of disease biomarkers into the diagnostic process. They have focused particular attention on the earlier identification of disease with focus on the preclinical and predementia stages. This paper reviews these diagnostic criteria and provides 2012 consensus recommendations from the Canadian Consensus Conference on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia on their applications in both clinical and research settings.