Mild cognitive impairment
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a neurocognitive disorder which involves cognitive impairments beyond those expected based on an individual's age and education but which are not significant enough to interfere with instrumental activities of daily living. MCI may occur as a transitional stage between normal aging and dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease. It includes both memory and non-memory impairments. The cause of the disorder remains unclear, as well as both its prevention and treatment, with some 50 percent of people diagnosed with it going on to develop Alzheimer's disease within five years. The diagnosis can also serve as an early indicator for other types of dementia, although MCI may remain stable or even remit.
| Mild cognitive impairment | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Incipient dementia, isolated memory impairment |
| Specialty | Neurology |
| Symptoms | Can include memory impairments (amnestic) or cognitive problems like impaired decision making, language, or visuospatial skills (non-amnestic) |
| Usual onset | Typically appears in adults 65 or older |
| Types | Amnestic, non-amnestic |
| Risk factors | Age, family history, cardiovascular disease |
| Diagnostic method | Based on symptoms assessed by a clinical neuropsychologist through observations, neuroimaging, and blood tests |
Mild cognitive impairment has been relisted as mild neurocognitive disorder in DSM-5, and in ICD-11, the latter effective on 1 January 2022.