Self-estimation of performance time versus actual performance time in older adults with suspected mild cognitive impairment: A clinical perspective

Estimation of the passage of time has received marginal attention in contemporaneous psychiatric assessment and diagnosis. There is disagreement regarding the ability of older adults with dementia, particularly of the Alzheimer's type, to estimate time passage, and there is lack of data concerning the ability of older adults in the early stages of cognitive impairment to estimate the passage of time. Objective: We investigated the hypothesis that individuals with mild dementia perform worse compared to those with no cognitive impairment, and that those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) assume an intermediate position in terms of their ability to accurately estimate time passage. Another objective was to study demographic and clinical (cognitive, functional, psychiatric) predictors of self-estimation of performance time versus actual performance time. Method: In the context of a comprehensive psychogeriatric evaluation, three performance time measures were established: actual performance time, subjective estimation of performance time, and accuracy of estimation of performance time. Results: 102 consecutive persons with suspected MCI were assessed. Final cognitive diagnoses were: dementia 49 (48%), MCI 36 (35%), no cognitive impairment (NCI) 17 (17%). Whereas there were significant group differences (dementia, MCI, NCI) on all cognitive measures and on functional impairment, there were no significant group differences on the three time measures. With the exception of age, estimation attentionalof performance time was not associated with any of the other demographic and clinical variables. Conclusion: Self-estimation of performance time versus actual performance time was not found impaired either in the dementia group or in the MCI group when compared to participants without cognitive impairment.