The #1 Sign of Mild Cognitive Impairment You Should Never, Ever Ignore
Aging woman looking out the window
We all have forgetful moments. Maybe you can't remember the name of someone you ran into at the grocery store or where you put your wallet. But there’s a difference between “normal” lapses in memory and when it's a sign that something more serious may be going on.
To decipher the difference, it’s important to know the facts about mild cognitive impairment, including the number one sign of it that you should never ignore.
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What Is Mild Cognitive Impairment?
“Mild cognitive impairment is used to describe a patient’s symptoms when the decline in memory and thinking is more than what is expected for age-related decline alone,” explains Dr. Amy Naquin-Chappel, MD, a neurologist at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital.
Mild cognitive impairment is the stage between a decline in memory and thinking that’s not unusual to experience with aging and a more serious decline of dementia. This could look like completely forgetting about a meeting or event, forgetting where you put something or someone’s name, losing your train of thought or having trouble making a decision.
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“Individuals with mild cognitive impairment might notice that their memory or mental function has ‘slipped,’ and close friends and family may also observe changes," Dr. Naquin-Chappel says, adding that these changes typically do not significantly impact one’s daily life.
Experiencing mild cognitive decline doesn’t necessarily mean it will turn into dementia; for some people it may while for others it never progresses. For others, it may even get better.
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The Sign of Mild Cognitive Decline You Should Never Ignore, According to a Neurologist
While forgetting something every once in a while isn’t too big of a deal, Dr. Naquin-Chappel says there is one sign of cognitive decline that shouldn’t be ignored: when lapses in memory or thinking are impacting your daily life. This, she says, is what separates mild cognitive decline from dementia and should be taken seriously.
If a change in memory or thinking is causing you to make errors while driving, forget to take medication or make mistakes regarding your finances, Dr. Naquin-Chappel says these are all impacts of cognitive decline that could have detrimental effects. “People should not ignore signs of struggling to manage their medications—whether that’s refilling prescriptions or even remembering to take their medications—as it can lead to dangerous health consequences when medications aren’t taken appropriately,” she explains.
Dr. Naquin-Chappel adds that if someone has trouble navigating to familiar places when driving or sees an increase in minor car damage like hitting curbs or mailboxes, these are all concerning signs to suggest there could be mild cognitive impairment or an early indication of neurodegenerative disease. “Driving incidents can lead to harm for themselves or others and should be investigated immediately,” she warns.
Even if a change in cognition is not impacting your daily life, if you have any concerns about it, Dr. Naquin-Chappel mentions that it’s worth seeing a doctor about. “Mild cognitive impairment is often related to other modifiable conditions such as vitamin deficiencies, sleep dysfunction, depression, anxiety and numerous other conditions that may have treatment plans. On the other hand, mild cognitive impairment can be the early signs of a neurodegenerative disorder like Alzheimer’s disease, which will progress to dementia,” Dr. Naquin-Chappel shares, explaining that this is why early identification is so important because it allows for appropriate planning and treatment.
If you do see a doctor about mild cognitive impairment, Dr. Naquin-Chappel says you can expect the doctor to run a variety of tests, such as a brain scan to identify any structural causes of cognitive decline, blood work to rule out other causes of mild cognitive impairment or a screening test such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) or Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA). “Depending on availability, neuropsychological testing can be performed to assess whether a patient’s cognitive function is in line with other people their age or if it is worse than what is expected for their age, as seen in cases of mild cognitive impairment and dementia,” she adds.
Again, there is no need to worry about forgetting something every once in a while. But if changes in memory or thinking are negatively impacting your job, relationships or safety, it’s worth talking to a doctor about. That way, you can get to the bottom of what’s causing it. When it comes to your health, knowledge is always power.
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Sources
Dr. Amy Naquin-Chappel, MD, neurologist at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Mayo Clinic.
Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for the early detection of dementia in people with mild cognitive impairment (CMI). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2021.
Diagnostic accuracy of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for cognitive screening in old age psychiatry: Determining cutoff scores in clinical practice. Avoiding spectrum bias caused by healthy controls. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2020.
