What is MCI?

Mild Cognitive Impairment can be used as a syndromic diagnosis when cognitive change is perceived but it does not currently impact on complex activities such as banking, driving or medication management.

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) refers to the presence of subtle cognitive deficits without significant impairment to daily functioning [1][2]. Self-managed and successful support strategies such as automated bill paying are accepted as part of MCI. It can have a variety of aetiologies, including early neurodegenerative disease, other organic causes, psychiatric factors or may even be idiopathic [1]. While MCI increases the risk of dementia, most cases does not progress to this stage [2]. In an individual with cognitive deficits, some functional impairment, and a history of gradual progression over time, the diagnosis of MCI versus dementia is usually based on the extent of functional impairment present [1][3].

A diagnosis of MCI provides an opportunity to focus on preventive medicine, and the normalisation of terms such as "brain health", "changes to memory and thinking", "cognitive impairment" and "dementia" when a person is well.