Diagnostic procedures and list of criteria in the Gothenburg mild cognitive impairment (MCI) study. (a) Cognitive decline severity is assessed at baseline and follow-ups, using stages 1 to 4 from the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS).12 (b) GDS stage 1 corresponds to no subjective or objective cognitive decline. Algorithm: STEP = 0, I-FLEX = 0, CDR≤0.5, MMSE≥29. (c) GDS stage 2 corresponds to subjective cognitive impairment. Algorithm: STEP = 0, I-FLEX < 3, CDR≤0.5, MMSE≥28 + subjective cognitive complaints reported in clinical interview (mandatory). (d) GDS stage 3 corresponds to MCI. Algorithm: STEP≤1, I-FLEX≤3, CDR > 0.5, MMSE≥26. (e) GDS stage ≥4 corresponds to probable mild dementia. Algorithm: STEP > 1, I-FLEX > 3, CDR > 1.0, MMSE≤25. (f) The presence of the dementia syndrome. Specific dementia disease diagnostics were operationalized using the Fazekas scale for WMC,17 and results on clinical assessment of brain regional symptoms. (g) The National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria for AD (1984)18 and no or mild WMC + parieto-temporal syndrome. (h) The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and Association Internationale pour la Recherché et l'Enseignement en Neurosciences criteria for VaD (1993).23 (i) MixD. Either (1) AD + moderate or severe WMC or (2) AD + WMC + dysexecutive syndrome. (j) Research criteria for SVD22 with mild, moderate, or severe WMC + dysexecutive syndrome. (k) FTD: a consensus on clinical diagnostic criteria (1998).19 (l) Consortium on LBD (1999).20 (m) Classification of PPA (2011).21 (n) NUD. The presence of dementia syndrome without hallmarks for specific etiology. AD, Alzheimer’s disease; CDR, clinical dementia rating; cVaD, cortical vascular dementia; FTD, frontotemporal dementia; GDS, global deterioration scale; I-FLEX, investigation of flexibility, short form of the executive interview EXIT; LBD, Lewy-body dementia; MixD, mixed type dementia (=AD + subcortical vascular dementia (SVD)); MMSE, mini mental state examination; NUD, nonultra descriptum; PPA, primary progressive aphasia; STEP, stepwise comparative status analysis; VaD, vascular dementia; WMC, white matter changes.