A rational explanation for selecting neuropsychological tests for the cognitive follow-up of patients with prodromal AD

A few years ago, the International Working Group (IWG) new research criteria created the framework to establish a specific diagnosis in the predementia or prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD).1 This was the first step to introduce biomarkers as part of the diagnosis of AD and to move forward the diagnosis to earlier stages, clarifying therefore the underlying aetiology of mild cognitive impairment. The diagnosis in the prodromal stage, applying the IWG criteria, has been already applied in research settings and incorporated as part of inclusion criteria of several clinical trials; by contrast, there is yet no clear conviction that the time of AD diagnosis can be reliably advanced to the prodromal stage in clinical settings. We should …