Nationally Informed Recommendations on Approaching the Detection, Assessment, and Management of Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Prior to the usual clinical symptoms of dementia, there can be subtle changes in cognitive function that differ from the normal age-related cognitive decline, which has been termed mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The increase in the numbers of individuals with possible MCI presenting to health care professionals, notably, General Practitioners (GPs), is going to rise dramatically in the coming years. With ever increasing demands on GPs, it is therefore timely to provide information that can be accessed by health care professionals to assist them in making appropriate diagnoses and to provide the most relevant, evidence-based treatment options. We have provided a comprehensive list of recommendations that aim to address key aspects of MCI in primary care. Specifically, these relate to detection and diagnosis; sharing the diagnosis, monitoring, and follow up; practical interventions to potentially delay progression; and personalizing care - planning, engagement, and patient motivation for the long term.