What is Mild Cognitive Impairment?

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), also know as minor neurocognitive disorder, describes changes in memory or other thinking abilities that may be noticed by the person or those around them but are not interfering with independence and usual daily functioning. If you have noticed memory or thinking changes then a neuropsychological assessment may be helpful in determining whether these changes are more than simply “age-related changes”.

Common cognitive concerns include:
Losing or misplacing items like your keys, phone or wallet
Repeating yourself in conversation
Getting lost or disoriented when driving
Difficulty keeping track of appointments and upcoming events
Difficulty organising and planning
Confusion or “brain fog”

Memory and thinking changes in Mild Cognitive Impairment are more severe than normal age-related changes. However, they are not so severe as to impact your ability to complete your usual tasks independently. You could think of it as a bit of an “in between” state.

What is the difference between Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia?

In dementia (major neurocognitive disorder) memory or cognitive difficulties are more significant and start to impact daily function and independence. So for example, while someone with Mild Cognitive Impairment may occasionally forget where they put something or forget to attend an appointment, they are still able to manage most of their usual activities on their own. Whereas someone with dementia may be so forgetful that they get lost when driving, forget to take their medications or struggle to manage their bills and finances. They need support and assistance to manage tasks that they would have done on their own before.

Does Mild Cognitive Impairment turn into Dementia?

The short answer - sometimes, but not always.

Some people with Mild Cognitive Impairment will have symptoms that get worse over time and eventually go on to develop dementia. Research suggests that about 5-15% (Mitchell & Shiri-Feshki et al., 2009; Tabaus-Pereira et al., 2016) of people with Mild Cognitive Impairment will go on to develop dementia over the course of a one year period.

However, for many people with mild cognitive impairment, symptoms stay stable or can actually improve over time. So although mild cognitive impairment increases dementia risk it does not always lead to dementia. This is why monitoring cognitive functioning can be particularly important.

What can help Mild Cognitive Impairment?

People with MCI can take steps to improve brain health.

This includes doing things like:

Regular exercise - a combination of moderate intensity aerobic exercise and resistance/strength training is ideal.
Eating a health diet - prioritise eating whole foods including fruits, vegetable, nuts, whole grains, healthy fats, seafood, and lean meat. Limit ultra processed foods and sugary convenience foods.
Limiting alcohol intake and stop smoking.
Getting enough sleep.
Mentally stimulating activities and socialising with people.
Making sure any other chronic health conditions (like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes) are under control.

If you have concerns about your memory or thinking or would simply like more information, get in touch with us at Thinking Mind Neuropsychology to discuss next steps.

Email: contact@tmneuropsych.com.au Ph: (02)7813 0223

References

Mitchell AJ, Shiri-Feshki M. Rate of progression of mild cognitive impairment to dementia--meta-analysis of 41 robust inception cohort studies. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2009 Apr;119(4):252-65. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01326.x. Epub 2008 Feb 18. PMID: 19236314.

Tabuas-Pereira M, Baldeiras I, Duro D, Santiago B, Ribeiro MH, Leitao MJ, Oliveira C, Santana I. Prognosis of early-onset vs. late-onset mild cognitive impairment: comparison of conversion rates and its predictors. Geriatrics (Basel). 2016;1(2):11.

Mild Cognitive Impairment