Mild cognitive impairment and dementia
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Mild cognitive impairment and dementia
Some people have memory loss but do not have dementia. They have what is known as mild cognitive impairment, a middle ground between normal aging and dementia. People with this condition are at risk for developing dementia; however, not all people with mild cognitive impairment will progress to dementia.
People with mild cognitive impairment often know that they have lost memory, and tests can confirm some loss. But they have normal overall mental functioning and can carry out normal activities of daily living.
Doctors should evaluate people with memory loss, and those with mild cognitive impairment should be monitored because of their risk for developing dementia. Several studies are being done to see whether medication can delay the development of dementia in people with mild cognitive impairment.
Credits
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Michele Cronen |
| Associate Editor | Denele Ivins |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Peter J. Whitehouse, MD - Neurology |
| Last Updated | June 27, 2007 |
| Last updated: | June 27, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Jeannette Curtis |
| Reviewed By: | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine, Peter J. Whitehouse, MD - Neurology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Denele Ivins |
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