What does a diagnosis mean for an individual?
Because there is a lack of agreement about a definition, any two individuals with a diagnosis of MCI may have relatively significant differences in symptoms. Physicians’ recommendations for treatment will also vary. In most cases, if a person is diagnosed with MCI, the physician will regularly monitor the individual for changes in memory and thinking skills that indicate a worsening of symptoms or a development of mild dementia. The drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease were investigated in large-scale clinical trials with people diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. Although some smaller trials have tested the effect of these drugs to treat MCI, there is not enough evidence to suggest a standard course of treatment. Nonetheless, some physicians may prescribe FDA-approved Alzheimer medications and vitamin E supplements to treat symptoms associated with MCI. Large-scale trials of several medications are now unde
