ISTAART Community

The preclinical state of Alzheimer’s disease (pre-mild cognitive impairment) is becoming of increasing importance with regard to early detection and prevention of Alzheimer’s dementia. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may represent the first symptomatic manifestation of Alzheimer’s disease. Thus, SCD can serve two purposes: First, it can be used as an entry condition in large-scale prevention trials, because it represents an at-risk state for future Alzheimer’s dementia. Second, it can be applied as a clinical indicator for biomarker-based detection of Alzheimer’s disease at the pre-MCI state. At present, despite increasing interest, there is a severe lack of standards to facilitate research on SCD in the field of Alzheimer’s disease. The PIA aims at organizing and structuring research on SCD. The PIA is a forum for scientific exchange, collaborations, standardization efforts and information about SCD.

The objectives of the SCD – PIA are:

1. To standardize and harmonize research efforts on SCD in Alzheimer’s disease.
2. To develop improved criteria for SCD for use in clinical intervention trials.
3. To increase awareness in research and clinical care for the relevance of SCD as an at-risk sign of Alzheimer’s disease and as a very early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease.
4. To submit research sessions for the AAIC on SCD.
5. To develop and publish consensus papers on SCD.
6. To promote scientific exchange including young investigators across participating sites.