The guide to
What is mild cognitive impairment?
What is MCI
Treatment Options
Risk factors and diagnosis
narration
What is mild cognitive impairment?
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is when someone suffers from noticeable changes in cognitive abilities that are greater than expected with normal aging, but not severe enough to interfere with independent function.Contrary to popular belief, MCI is not a disease. It is a term used to describe a person's cognitive status based on cognitive tests, medical history, or other evaluation methods.
narration
Symptoms of mild cognitive impairment
Attention & focus
Judgement & decision-making
Language issues
Memory lapses
Depression
Sleep issues
Hormonal changes
narration
MCI versus Alzheimer's
MCI and early-stage Alzheimer's share similar symptoms such as brain fog and memory problems. MCI can be caused by a variety of health conditions, while Alzheimer's and dementia are almost always caused by a disease that affects the brain.
Similar Symptoms
Different Outlook
If you’re struggling with cognitive issues like brain fog or memory problems, it might be Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).MCI can affect memory (amnestic MCI) or other cognitive functions like speech, language, focus, and navigation.
While MCI shares symptoms with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, its symptoms are less severe. Also, unlike Alzheimer's, one in four cases of MCI can be reversed.
narration
How is MCI Diagnosed?
Being Patient interviewed neuropsychologist Emily Paolillo about the link between MCI and dementia, the process of seeking an MCI diagnosis, and the role of diagnostic tools like blood tests while concurrently addressing the influence of lifestyle factors on cognitive health following an MCI diagnosis.
Expert Perspective
"So, typically, we have some criteria to determine what is mild versus what’s more severe. At the more severe stage, we would call that dementia. Both of those things characterize the severity of cognitive impairment, but MCI is really defined by a mild level of cognitive impairment where you can still function independently. This means that maybe the person is noticing cognitive changes..."
Emily Paolillo, PhDAssistant Professor, UCSF Memory and Aging Center
LEarn More
narration
Risk factors for MCI
Risk increases with age, particularly for those over 65.
Cardiovascular health factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity.
Family history and genetic predisposition such as the presence of the APOE4 gene.
narration
How is MCI diagnosed?
Medical history
Cognitive testing
An detailed evaluation of both personal and family medical history.
Neuropsychological tests to assess memory and other cognitive functions.
Brain scans
Physical examination
MRI or CT scans to probe for potential brain abnormalities.
To rule out other conditions that might cause cognitive impairment.
narration
Living with the uncertainty after an MCI diagnosis
Retired psychotherapist Leah Fisher shares how she learned to live with the uncertainty of mild cognitive impairment.
Living with Uncertainty
...The best coping skill for this time, especially with MCI, is learning how to be calm in the face of uncertainty. There is so much [that's] not known with MCI. Is it going to stay stable, and is it not going to be a problem? Am I so old, that I’m going to die from something else, and [is it] not going to be a problem? Will it progress quite slowly?...Or is it going to slide fast into a diagnosis none of us would like to have?"
Leah FisherRetired Psychotherapist
HEAR HER STORY
narration
New beginnings after an MCI diagnosis
Dale Rivard's career as a prosecutor was cut short when he was thrown a curveball with his mild cognitive impairment diagnosis. He shares with Being Patient how it inadvertently led to the start of a fulfilling new chapter for him.
A New Calling
"You have to push yourself. By pushing yourself, you delay the inevitable because we all know where it’s going. I want to get as much out of life as I possibly can. I’m lucky enough to have a wonderful wife who supports me. I have children. I have been blessed by having this grounding force that surrounds me. That really helps me in everything that I do. So I still try to do as much as possible."
HEAR His STORY
Dale RivardFormer Attorney and Public Prosecutor
narration
Management methods
Depending on the cause of MCI, management strategies can help improve quality of life and slow its progression.
Because MCI is so varied, some patients may revert to normal cognition, while others may remain stable, and some may progress to dementia (including Alzheimer's disease). Regular monitoring and lifestyle adjustments can help manage symptoms and potentially slow progression.
Managing Health Conditions
Lifestyle Changes
Medication
narration
Want to learn more?
Visit
beingpatient.com
for the latest news and information on brain health and Alzheimer's disease
narration
PUB_What is MCI?
Deborah Kan
Created on July 28, 2024
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Project Roadmap Timeline
View
Step-by-Step Timeline: How to Develop an Idea
View
Artificial Intelligence History Timeline
View
Momentum: Onboarding Presentation
View
Urban Illustrated Presentation
View
3D Corporate Reporting
View
Discover Your AI Assistant
Explore all templates
Transcript
The guide to
What is mild cognitive impairment?
What is MCI
Treatment Options
Risk factors and diagnosis
narration
What is mild cognitive impairment?
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is when someone suffers from noticeable changes in cognitive abilities that are greater than expected with normal aging, but not severe enough to interfere with independent function.Contrary to popular belief, MCI is not a disease. It is a term used to describe a person's cognitive status based on cognitive tests, medical history, or other evaluation methods.
narration
Symptoms of mild cognitive impairment
Attention & focus
Judgement & decision-making
Language issues
Memory lapses
Depression
Sleep issues
Hormonal changes
narration
MCI versus Alzheimer's
MCI and early-stage Alzheimer's share similar symptoms such as brain fog and memory problems. MCI can be caused by a variety of health conditions, while Alzheimer's and dementia are almost always caused by a disease that affects the brain.
Similar Symptoms
Different Outlook
If you’re struggling with cognitive issues like brain fog or memory problems, it might be Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).MCI can affect memory (amnestic MCI) or other cognitive functions like speech, language, focus, and navigation.
While MCI shares symptoms with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, its symptoms are less severe. Also, unlike Alzheimer's, one in four cases of MCI can be reversed.
narration
How is MCI Diagnosed?
Being Patient interviewed neuropsychologist Emily Paolillo about the link between MCI and dementia, the process of seeking an MCI diagnosis, and the role of diagnostic tools like blood tests while concurrently addressing the influence of lifestyle factors on cognitive health following an MCI diagnosis.
Expert Perspective
"So, typically, we have some criteria to determine what is mild versus what’s more severe. At the more severe stage, we would call that dementia. Both of those things characterize the severity of cognitive impairment, but MCI is really defined by a mild level of cognitive impairment where you can still function independently. This means that maybe the person is noticing cognitive changes..."
Emily Paolillo, PhDAssistant Professor, UCSF Memory and Aging Center
LEarn More
narration
Risk factors for MCI
Risk increases with age, particularly for those over 65.
Cardiovascular health factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity.
Family history and genetic predisposition such as the presence of the APOE4 gene.
narration
How is MCI diagnosed?
Medical history
Cognitive testing
An detailed evaluation of both personal and family medical history.
Neuropsychological tests to assess memory and other cognitive functions.
Brain scans
Physical examination
MRI or CT scans to probe for potential brain abnormalities.
To rule out other conditions that might cause cognitive impairment.
narration
Living with the uncertainty after an MCI diagnosis
Retired psychotherapist Leah Fisher shares how she learned to live with the uncertainty of mild cognitive impairment.
Living with Uncertainty
...The best coping skill for this time, especially with MCI, is learning how to be calm in the face of uncertainty. There is so much [that's] not known with MCI. Is it going to stay stable, and is it not going to be a problem? Am I so old, that I’m going to die from something else, and [is it] not going to be a problem? Will it progress quite slowly?...Or is it going to slide fast into a diagnosis none of us would like to have?"
Leah FisherRetired Psychotherapist
HEAR HER STORY
narration
New beginnings after an MCI diagnosis
Dale Rivard's career as a prosecutor was cut short when he was thrown a curveball with his mild cognitive impairment diagnosis. He shares with Being Patient how it inadvertently led to the start of a fulfilling new chapter for him.
A New Calling
"You have to push yourself. By pushing yourself, you delay the inevitable because we all know where it’s going. I want to get as much out of life as I possibly can. I’m lucky enough to have a wonderful wife who supports me. I have children. I have been blessed by having this grounding force that surrounds me. That really helps me in everything that I do. So I still try to do as much as possible."
HEAR His STORY
Dale RivardFormer Attorney and Public Prosecutor
narration
Management methods
Depending on the cause of MCI, management strategies can help improve quality of life and slow its progression.
Because MCI is so varied, some patients may revert to normal cognition, while others may remain stable, and some may progress to dementia (including Alzheimer's disease). Regular monitoring and lifestyle adjustments can help manage symptoms and potentially slow progression.
Managing Health Conditions
Lifestyle Changes
Medication
narration
Want to learn more?
Visit
beingpatient.com
for the latest news and information on brain health and Alzheimer's disease
narration