Published: January 26, 2012
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Researchers involved in the
Mayo Clinic Study of Aging reported today that more than 6 percent of Americans age 70 to 89 develop
mild cognitive impairment (MCI) every year. Also, the condition appears to affect men and those who only have a high school education more than women and those who have completed some higher education. People with MCI are at the stage between suffering the normal forgetfulness associated with aging and developing dementia, such as that caused by
Alzheimer’s disease.
People with MCI have mild problems with thinking and memory that do not interfere with everyday activities, although their forgetfulness is often apparent to them and their friends and family. While not everyone with MCI develops dementia, an estimated 5 to 10 percent do.
About mild cognitive impairment
Symptoms of MCI include:
- Difficulty learning and remembering new information
- Difficulty solving problems or making decisions
- Forgetting recent events or conversations
- Taking longer to perform complex or difficult mental activities.
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