Mild cognitive impairment could be the start of
dementia, writes Nadia Badarudin.
HOUSEWIFE
Irdina, 40, worries about her mother, Saadiah, 63 (not their real names).
Irdina says after her father passed away 10 years ago, her mother was generally
well, and living independently.
Lately
however, this has changed; her mother has become more forgetful. She notices
that her mother asks the same question over and over again during conversations
and keeps losing things.
“My
mother is very organised. So when she told me that she often misplaces her
reading glasses and later finds them in strange places like in an empty pot in
her garden, I merely thought age was catching up,” she says.
Her
mother recently lost her way driving home after her religious class. This has
occurred several times.
“I find
it quite strange because my mother uses the same route every day. When it has
happened more than once, I just don’t know how to react,” she says.
“Although
she manages her daily responsibilities like she normally does, I think
something is not right.”
NORMAL
AGEING?
Going
into a room and forgetting why you went there, or misplacing things, can happen
to anyone, not only older people like Saadiah.
Forgetfulness
is part and parcel of the normal ageing process. According to the National
Institute of Ageing, changes occur in all parts of the body, including the
brain, as people get older.
It says
memory loss can be linked to health issues such as side effects of medication,
chronic alcoholism, tumours or infections in the brain, and to some thyroid,
kidney or liver disorders.
It can
also be related to stress, depression, anxiety and other emotional issues such
as coping with the death of a close family member.
However,
consistent forgetfulness or memory loss can be a sign of something more serious
in the elderly.
As
Malaysia becomes an ageing nation by 2035 with 15 per cent of the population
classified as senior citizens (aged 60 and above), this should be a concern
because it will result in higher costs of acute and long-term medical and
healthcare services.
MILD
COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
When
people are more forgetful than normal for their age but can still function and
carry out their daily tasks, as in Saadiah’s case, the condition is called Mild
Cognitive Impairment (MCI).
Experts
believe that MCI “may be an early warning sign of memory disorders later in
life”, according to Health After 50, an American online health portal for the
elderly.
Psychology
Today describes the syndrome as being in-between normal ageing and dementia,
hence being “stuck in the middle”.
Beacon
Hospital consultant physician and geriatrician Datuk Dr Rajbans Singh says MCI
often presents as slight decline in cognitive abilities, including thinking and
memory skills that are serious enough to be noticed by the individual or by
others.
“The
changes due to MCI are different from normal ageing but less severe than
someone with dementia — a broad term for memory loss of which 60 per cent is
due to Alzheimer’s disease. “Unlike Alzheimer’s, the changes do not interfere
with daily life or independent function and patients can manage their daily
responsibilities such as shopping or driving,” says Dr Rajbans, who is founder
and past president of Malaysian Healthy Ageing Society, member of the Elderly
Committee of the Malaysian Medical Association and member of the American
Academy of Anti-Ageing Medicine and British Geriatrics Society.
In normal
ageing, the memory loss is not consistent and the person can remember again
what he has forgotten.
In
Alzheimer’s the memory loss is persistent and progressive, especially
short-term memory, he says. “Patients with MCI are usually able to manage
themselves and are not a burden to their families.
However,
20 per cent of MCI cases progress into Alzheimer’s and these are the ones who
will need extra care and support,” he adds.
AT RISK
The
National Institute of Ageing says signs of MCI, which mainly affect men,
include losing things often and struggling to come up with desired words. A
person’s health and lifestyle can influence the chances of developing MCI as he
grows older.
Dr
Rajbans says the risk groups for MCI include people of advanced years, or with
a family history and those with cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes,
hypertension and high cholesterol.
“Those at
risk tend to be overweight and lack exercise. Smokers and those who are under
stress are also prone to the symptoms,” he says.
The
symptoms can be caused by several factors, some treatable and some not. Studies
show that although MCI increases a person’s risk of developing dementia, it
does not always get worse and progress into dementia.
Thus, diagnosing
the condition is crucial and this helps prevent onset of dementia. Dr Rajbans
says a thorough diagnosis is done to ascertain the causes of memory loss.
“Some
blood tests and even a CT scan of the brain would be done to exclude an organic
cause of memory loss or to rule out underlying illness. Regular follow-ups are
important so that early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can be made and addressed.”
NO DRUGS
According
to Alzheimer’s Society, UK, there are currently no drugs which have been
approved to treat MCI. It says there is growing evidence that exercising the
body and mind, socialising and doing leisure activities such as reading,
playing card games or puzzles can help prevent or delay the onset of MCI and
dementia.
“There is no treatment for MCI. The drugs that
work for Alzheimer’s do not seem to have any effect on it,” says Dr Rajbans.
Apart from medical treatment for vascular risk factors, patients are normally
advised to adopt a healthy lifestyle and be active (physically and socially) to
lower their risk of developing dementia.
“Exercising
and keeping the mind active may prevent the progression to Alzheimer’s. In
Japan, the elderly are encouraged to play Sudoku, which seems to help. Studies
show that people who have purpose in their lives and who are socially connected
with their families and friends have a lower incidence of MCI and Alzheimer’s,”
he adds.
CAREGIVERS’
RESPONSIBILITY
Being
ignorant or dismissing forgetfulness as just a normal sign of ageing are not an
option. Family members like Irdina have a huge responsibility. Dr Rajbans says:
“Caregivers must monitor for signs of progression into dementia.
“Caregivers
need to be well-informed and help the patient adopt and maintain a healthy
lifestyle to reduce the risk of progression.”
Nadia
Badarudin
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