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Mild Cognitive Impairment
Summary
Some forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging. However, some people have more memory problems than other people their age. This condition is called mild cognitive impairment, or MCI. People with MCI can take care of themselves and do their normal activities.
MCI memory problems may include:
- Losing things often
- Forgetting to go to events and appointments
- Having more trouble coming up with words than other people of the same age
Memory problems can also have other causes, including certain medicines and diseases that affect the blood vessels that supply the brain. Some of the problems brought on by these conditions can be managed or reversed.
Your health care provider can do thinking, memory, and language tests to see if you have MCI. You may also need to see a specialist for more tests. Because MCI may be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, it’s really important to see your health care provider every 6 to 12 months.
At this time, there is no proven drug treatment for MCI. Your health care provider can check to see if you have any changes in your memory or thinking skills over time.
NIH: National Institute on Aging
National Institute on Aging
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Mild Cognitive Impairment National Institutes of Health
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Cognitive Health National Institute on Aging
- Nourish Your Brain American Academy of Family Physicians
- Well-Aged Mind: Maintaining Your Cognitive Health National Institutes of Health
Related Issues
- Cognitive Health and Older Adults National Institute on Aging
- How the Aging Brain Affects Thinking National Institute on Aging
Diagnosis and Tests
- Cognitive Testing National Library of Medicine
- Screening for Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
Start Here
- Memory, Forgetfulness, and Aging: What’s Normal and What’s Not? National Institute on Aging
- Mild Cognitive Impairment Alzheimer’s Association
- Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- What Is Mild Cognitive Impairment? National Institute on Aging
- What Is Mild Cognitive Impairment? Department of Health and Human Services
Patient Handouts
- Mental status testing Medical Encyclopedia
Statistics and Research
- Mild Cognitive Impairment and Progession to Dementia: New Findings American Academy of Neurology
- Scam Susceptibility May Signal Risk for Cognitive Decline National Institute on Aging
- Setting Goals to Be More Active Slows Memory Decline in Older African Americans National Institute on Aging
Find an Expert
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- National Institute on Aging National Institute on Aging