Mild Cognitive Impairment

Changes in the brain of patients who develop Alzheimer’s, start several years before the symptoms become evident. They do progress slowly in the Prodromal / Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) stage, initially affecting patients in an insidious and subtle manner which does not affect their ability to function; but eventually progressing to the Alzheimer’s stages. Initial symptoms are poor recent memory, difficulty finding words to express themselves, misplacing things, forgetting names, repeating themselves, getting lost while driving, feelings of depression, etc. Changes in behavior may also occur including agitation, hallucinations and even verbal and physical aggressiveness may occur, making the burden for families to manage at home even more difficult. 

While not all MCI cases of memory loss develop Alzheimer’s disease, a good number of them do. Those who convert to Alzheimer’s slowly continue to deteriorate through the different stages, from mild to moderate and advanced. Not every patient advances at the same rate and not every patient presents with the same symptoms.

While no one is exempt from developing the condition, individuals who inherit a particular gene (also called an allele), known as APO E4 from one or both parents are more at risk to develop the disease, with those receiving it from both parents more at risk than those with only one parent who passes on the APO E4 gene. Individuals who have a history of AD in their family are considered more at risk as well and they are likely to carry the APO E4 gene. Age is also an important factor in developing the disease; although younger individuals in their 40s and 50s are known to have developed the disease. 

It is important to diagnose the condition as early as possible when symptoms first start so that the appropriate treatment measures can be taken. 

Common changes seen with MCI include:

• Increased forgetfulness
• Decreased memory for appointments or social activities
• Difficulty with maintaining a train of thought or tracking conversations
• Challenges with retaining content of a book or movie
• Hard time with decision making or planning
• Reduced ability to navigate known environments
• Display of poor judgement or impulsivity

These changes are typically only detected by the individual, family or close friends. These changes however are not significant enough to interfere with activities of daily living. Some individuals do not progress further than MCI while others continue to decline into more severe stages of dementia.

The diagnosis of AD is considered a diagnosis of exclusion in that a number of laboratory, imaging tests and neuropsychological tests are used to exclude any other causes of memory loss including treatable causes. The presence of the APO E4 is considered a marker. 

While currently approved drugs slow the progress of the illness, they do not stop it. No medication has been approved for the treatment of AD in the last 20 years. A number of new promising drugs are currently under development in the US; but only available through FDA approved Clinical Trials. 

Quantum Clinical Research conducts Clinical trials using new drugs under development for patients with this condition. If you or someone you know is experiencing signs of Mild Cognitive Impairment please contact us to see if you qualify to participate in a clinical trial!