Who hasn't had the experience of forgetting the
ice cubes on the counter, or wondering just why
you walked into a room? Unless you live a very
regimented life, the odds are that you're one
with the rest of us who experience these odd
moments of forgetting. Some forgetfulness just
seems to go along with our busy lives. It's
normal.
If you're noticing more serious memory lapses in
yourself or someone you know well, it could be
something a bit more worrisome.
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is the
term professionals use to describe short-term
memory loss that is greater than what could be
described as "normal" for a particular
individual. If someone has never been good at
remembering names, then forgetting names is not
remarkable. However, if that same person has
always kept a balanced checkbook and is now
having trouble reconciling the bank statement,
this would be "abnormal" for that person.
Mild Cognitive Impairment may become apparent to
the person with the problem and to those who
know the person very well, but frequently is not
initially obvious to others. The person with MCI
is able to compensate for memory losses by
making lots of notes, voluntarily giving up more
complicated tasks before errors become obvious,
and relying on family members to fill the gaps.
Eventually, however, Mild Cognitive Impairment
will become more obvious to even those who don't
know a person well.
Some common signs of possible Mild Cognitive
Impairment:
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Just as there can be many causes
of dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment has been
associated with not only the early stages of
Alzheimer's Disease, but also with brain injury,
vascular dementia, and psychiatric conditions
such as depression.
No one really knows what causes
MCI. However, it appears that approximately 15%
of those diagnosed with MCI will go on to
develop Alzheimer's Disease or another dementia
causing illness within four years.
There is no treatment for Mild Cognitive
Impairment at present. Some doctors will
prescribe one or more of the same medications
used to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's
Disease, but according to the literature there
have not been significant verifiable results in
either slowing or stopping the progression of
MCI.
Even though there is no real treatment for Mild
Cognitive Impairment, it is still important to
have a thorough medical checkup if you suspect
MCI. Many medical conditions can cause memory
changes, and it is important to rule out
anything treatable. A thorough medical exam will
also create a "baseline" against which later
examinations can be compared. This will give
everyone a good idea of the extent of cognitive
changes over time.
If MCI does, indeed, appear to be confirmed
after a complete medical workup, you will have
the opportunity to get your legal and financial
"ducks" lined up while the person with MCI is
able to take an active role in making decisions.
Even if the impairment never progresses any
further, it can be a great relief to have these
things taken care of in a non-emergency fashion. |
