MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT: A CONCEPT ANALYSIS

Mild Cognitive Impairment: A concept Analysis

Mild Cognitive Impairment: A concept Analysis

Introduction

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), as this state is most frequently termed, is defined as a slight impairment in cognitive function (typically memory) with otherwise normal function in the performance of activities of daily living. On the continuum of cognitive function, MCI lies between and overlaps normal aging and AD, and it is now recognized as a risk factor for AD. MCI is a broad term that encompasses several subtypes of cognitive dysfunction of varied etiologies, none of which necessarily progress to AD. Amnestic MCI (a-MCI) is characterized by a memory deficit on neuropsychological tests in comparison with the performance of persons of a similar age and education level(Nordberg, 2008).

Multiple-domain MCI (md-MCI) is characterized by impairment in several cognitive domains (eg, language, executive function, visuospatial skills). Patients with md-MCI may also have memory impairment. A third subtype of MCI involves patients with impairment in a single cognitive domain that does not involve memory. Eventual outcomes associated with the various subtypes of MCI may include depression, vascular dementia, front temporal dementia, Lewy-body dementia, primary progressive aphasia, and Parkinson's disease) However, MCI also may remain stable or be reversed. Five years after baseline in the population-based Canadian Study of Health and Aging, 3 29% of 296 subjects with "cognitive impairment, no dementia" remained stable, and 10% had reverted to normal. Although a-MCI may be associated with either AD or depression, those with a-MCI are most likely to progress to AD--10% to 15% per year, compared with 1% to 2% of healthy, nonimpaired control subjects(Saxton, 2008).

Definitions

1. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a relatively recent term, used to describe people who have some problems with their memory but do not actually have dementia. This factsheet explains the link between MCI and dementia, and looks at possible treatments.

2. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate stage between the expected cognitive decline of normal aging and the more pronounced decline of dementia. It involves problems with memory, language, thinking and judgment that are greater than typical age-related changes.

3. MCI refers to the presence of cognitive impairment that is not severe enough to meet the criteria of dementia. It has been operationalized in many ways.

How The Concept Is Implemented

In some cases, md-MCI with amnesia may reflect an early transitional stage to AD(Klunk, 2008). The study of MCI is relatively new, and consensus on its terminology and diagnosis is only beginning to emerge. Other terms used to describe the condition range from benign senescent forgetfulness to cognitive impairment, no dementia to dementia prodrome, depending on whether the emphasis is on normal aging or a disease process.

Concept Analysis

concept analysis is a principled way of automatically deriving an ontology from a collection of objects and their properties.

Aims of the concept

MCI is the term most commonly used and the one preferred by most; specialists. It generally refers to a clinical condition: characterized by subjective complaints of cognitive impairment by the patient ...