Mild Cognitive Impairment

Question 1

What is mild cognitive impairment?

Answer 1

Mild cognitive problems, puts person at greater risk of developing dementia

Question 2

How does MCI compare to dementia?

Answer 2

Similarities - both have negative impacts on cognitive abilities and daily basis, and neither impact consciousness
Differences - MCI is normal with age, unlike dementia. MCI describes similar symptoms but not disease, dementia is a disease. No approved drugs for MCI, dementia has available drugs.

Question 3

What can MCI impact?

Answer 3

1. Memory
2. Reasoning
3. Planning
4. Attention
5. Language

Question 4

How can dementia be prevented?

Answer 4

Physical activity, Mediterranean diet, no smoking or drinking, social activity, prompt treatment, cognitive stimulation

Question 5

What is capacity?

Answer 5

Ability to use and understand information to make informed decisions and communicate any decision made.
Understand, retain, weigh up, and communicate.

Question 6

What are the 2 stages for the test of capacity and who decides?

Answer 6

1. Impairment of mind or brain?
2. Unable to make specific decision when they need to?

2 doctors must independently assess patient

Question 7

What are options that can be made before losing capacity?

Answer 7

1. Advanced statement - guide of wishes and values if patient loses capacity.
2. Advanced decision - legally binding, can refuse treatment before losing capacity and will apply after.
3. Legal power of attorney - someone else can legally make decisions for patient is capacity is lost

Question 8

What is Alzheimer’s disease caused by?

Answer 8

1. Extracellular amyloid plaques
2. Neuro-fibrillar tangles
3. General brain atrophy

Question 9

What are symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 9

1. Memory loss and confusion
2. Gradual onset with deterioration over time
3. Most likely to retain long-term memories

Question 10

What can Alzheimer’s be treated with?

Answer 10

Acctylcholenesterase inhibitors and memantine

Question 11

What causes vascular dementia?

Answer 11

Multiple infarcts in minor blood vessels in the brain, traced back to cardiovascular disorders

Question 12

What are symptoms and onset of vascular dementia?

Answer 12

Similar to a stroke:
1. Impaired motor function
2. Problems with speech
3. Memory loss
4. Disorientation
5. Stepwise progression over long period of time

Question 13

What are treatments for vascular dementia?

Answer 13

Medications for cardiovascular disease can slow progression

Question 14

What causes Lewy body disease?

Answer 14

Build up of Lewy body protein in nerve cells in primary motor cortex

Question 15

What are symptoms and onset of Lewy body disease?

Answer 15

1. Hallucinations
2. Sleep problems
3. Memory loss
4. Progressive disease with deterioration over time

Question 16

What is treatment for Lewy body disease?

Answer 16

ACh inhibitors

Question 17

What causes Frontotemporal disease?

Answer 17

Death of nerve cells in frontal and temporal lobes due to presence of abnormal proteins in them

Question 18

What are symptoms and onset of Frontotemporal disease?

Answer 18

1. More likely to run in families
2. Communication and speech problems
3. Behavioural changes
4. Emotional problems and disinhibition
5. Chronic and progressive disease but onset can occur more rapidly and earlier than other forms

Question 19

What are symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and which parts of the brain are responsible for them?

Answer 19

Attention - thalamus
Orientation - posterior cingulate cortex
Poor short-term memory - hippocampus