What is mild cognitive impairment?

    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) describes a condition where people have poorer memory and thinking skills compared to other people their age but with minimal effects on typical daily tasks. This is sometimes caused by reversible factors like medication side effects, alcohol, poor sleep, and head injuries. But mild cognitive impairment is also the earliest detectable sign of the progressive cognitive decline associated with forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, it is an important condition to detect to prevent the cognitive impairments from becoming sufficient to impair a person’s independence and ability to perform typical daily tasks.[1][2][3]

    References

    1. ^Knopman DS, Amieva H, Petersen RC, Chételat G, Holtzman DM, Hyman BT, Nixon RA, Jones DTAlzheimer disease.Nat Rev Dis Primers.(2021-May-13)
    2. ^Ronald C Petersen, Oscar Lopez, Melissa J Armstrong, Thomas S D Getchius, Mary Ganguli, David Gloss, Gary S Gronseth, Daniel Marson, Tamara Pringsheim, Gregory S Day, Mark Sager, James Stevens, Alexander Rae-GrantPractice guideline update summary: Mild cognitive impairment: Report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of NeurologyNeurology.(2018 Jan 16)
    3. ^Marilyn S Albert, Steven T DeKosky, Dennis Dickson, Bruno Dubois, Howard H Feldman, Nick C Fox, Anthony Gamst, David M Holtzman, William J Jagust, Ronald C Petersen, Peter J Snyder, Maria C Carrillo, Bill Thies, Creighton H PhelpsThe diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease: recommendations from the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimers Dement.(2011 May)