Mild Cognitive Impairment
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition in which a person has problems with memory, language, or another mental function severe enough to be noticeable to other people and to show up on tests, but not serious enough to interfere with daily life. Because the problems do not interfere with daily activities, the person does not meet criteria for being diagnosed with dementia.
It has long been recognized as an intermediate state between normal cognition and dementia. Normal aging is often accompanied by a gradual decline in cognition; however, it is now recognized that some forms of cognitive impairment are early signs of dementia (Petersen et al. 1989). In general, MCI is most often seen in people over the age of 55 who are beginning to experience memory loss. Unlike Alzheimer’s who are often not completely aware of their memory deficits, people with MCI realize they are forgetful, and are often very troubled by it.
Just like Alzheimer’s disease, it is not completely understood what causes MCI. Many people view it as a normal part of aging. But this is not true in all people, evidenced by the fact that there are millions of people living well in to their 80’s and 90’s who experience no signs of forgetfulness or confusion. However, it is believed that early signs of forgetfulness after the age of 55 are a precursor to the onset of Alzheimer’s.
Some of the core symptoms of MCI include the following:
- Memory complaints (forgetfulness), preferable corroborated by an informant
- Objective memory impairment (for age and education)
- Preserved general cognitive function
- Intact activities of daily living
- Not demented
There are currently no drugs approved by the FDA to treat MCI. There is no accepted treatment of MCI or standard treatment approach. There are medications being tested in Diseases and Conditions currently to determine their safety and effectiveness in treating MCI.
Contact us to schedule an initial evaluation. Qualified participants will receive study related care at no charge and there is no need for health insurance.