Table 1 ISTAART research diagnostic criteria for Mild Behavioral Impairment

1. Changes in behavior or personality observed by patient, informant, or clinician, starting later in life (age ≥ 50 years) and persisting at least intermittently for ≥6 months. These represent a clear change from the person’s usual behavior or personality as evidenced by at least one of the following:

a. Decreased motivation (e.g., apathy, aspontaneity, indifference)

b. Affective dysregulation (e.g., anxiety, dysphoria, changeability, euphoria, irritability)

c. Impulse dyscontrol (e.g., agitation, disinhibition, gambling, obsessiveness, behavioral perseveration, stimulus bind)

d. Social inappropriateness (e.g., lack of empathy, loss of insight, loss of social graces or tact, rigidity, exaggeration of previous personality traits)

e. Abnormal perception or thought content (e.g., delusions, hallucinations)

2. Behaviors are of sufficient severity to produce at least minimal impairment in at least one of the following areas:

a. Interpersonal relationships

b. Other aspects of social functioning

c. Ability to perform in the workplace

The patient should generally maintain his/her independence of function in daily life, with minimal aids or assistance.

1. Although comorbid conditions may be present, the behavioral or personality changes are not attributable to another current psychiatric disorder (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder, major depression, manic or psychotic disorders), traumatic or general medical causes, or the physiological effects of a substance or medication.

2. The patient does not meet criteria for a dementia syndrome (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, vascular dementia, other dementia). MCI can be concurrently diagnosed with MBI.