As research into the pathophysiologic processes in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease progresses, treatment of patients is shifting from an emphasis on maintaining cognitive function and treating symptoms to one that also targets the underlying pathology. A key factor in this shift, however, is the ability of clinicians to accurately recognize and diagnose these conditions at the earliest possible time along the disease continuum. Clinical decisions made early in the process of care may thus potentially affect the progress of the disease.