What are the differences between MCI and dementia?
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) refers to cognitive impairment that does not meet the criteria for dementia. Other terms for this entity include Cognitive Impairment, No Dementia (CIND), “Age-associated memory impairment” and “age-associated cognitive decline.” The cognitive impairment in MCI is usually confined to a single domain, commonly memory. To diagnose dementia, there needs to be impairment of memory plus at least one other cognitive domain, such as executive function, language, apraxia or agnosia. The cognitive impairment in MCI is not severe enough to interfere with daily function whereas in dementia it does impact on daily function. It is generally accepted that individuals with MCI are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The annual rate of conversion to Alzheimers disease is 10-15% compared with 1-3% for an aged matched population. A substantial percentage of patients with MCI improve, even to normal, over time. Criteria for a diagnosis of MCI are: Memory c
