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Review
. 2022 Jul 8;14(1):e12335.
doi: 10.1002/dad2.12335. eCollection 2022.

Examining older adults with neuroatypical conditions for MCI/dementia: Barriers and recommendations of the Neuroatypical Conditions Expert Consultative Panel

Matthew P Janicki  1 , James A Hendrix  2 , Philip McCallion  3 ; and the Neuroatypical Conditions Expert Consultative Panel
Affiliations
Review

Examining older adults with neuroatypical conditions for MCI/dementia: Barriers and recommendations of the Neuroatypical Conditions Expert Consultative Panel

Matthew P Janicki et al. Alzheimers Dement (Amst). .

Abstract

The Neuroatypical Conditions Expert Consultative Panel composed of numerous clinical and academic experts was convened to examine barriers to the examination of cognitive impairment in adults with a variety of neuroatypical conditions. Neuroatypical conditions affect normative intellectual development and function (such as intellectual disability and intellectual disability with conjoint psychiatric conditions), thought, moods, and cognition (such as severe mental illness), communication functions (such as the autism spectrum and hearing/vision impairments), and brain and motor function (such as cerebral palsy and acquired or traumatic brain injury). The panel concluded that current federal guidance for the assessment of cognitive impairment for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia does not sufficiently include information as to how to assess such adults. In addition, it concluded that adults with these conditions (1) challenge clinicians when attempting to discern current behavior and function from that which was pre-existing; (2) often have inherent comprehension and oral communication difficulties, motor task performance impediments, and difficulty with visuals; and (3) pose difficulties when assessed with standardized dementia measures and can benefit from the use of specialized instruments. The panel recommended that federal guidance be broadened to include adaptations of assessment practices to accommodate neuroatypical conditions; that educational packs be developed for clinicians about such conditions and on detecting and diagnosing MCI or dementia; and that research be expanded to produce more evidence-based information on both assessing adults with neuroatypical conditions for later-life adult cognitive diseases/disorders and planning post-diagnostic care.

Keywords: cognitive impairment; dementia; disability; examination; neuroatypical conditions; neurodivergent conditions.

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Conflict of interest statement

Each of the authors participated in developing, writing, editing, and authorizing for submission of the manuscript. The three authors were the principals organizing the review and meetings of the Expert Panel, and except for connections with the National Task Group (where M.P.J. is the Board President and P.M. is on the Board of Directors) and the LuMind IDSC Foundation (where J.H. is the Scientific Director), they have no other conflicts or interests.

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