How is semantic memory affected in Mild Cognitive Impairment?

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition considered by many as a transitional stage between healthy aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Although its diagnosis is typically based on the assessment of episodic memory, evidences show that impairment in semantic memory would be one of the first manifestations of cognitive impairment. This study aims to investigate how semantic memory is affected in MCI. Precisely, we will explore if core memory of common knowledge is impaired in MCI, and if the performance in semantic memory task vary with the modality of presentation of the stimuli (verbal vs visual).