Description

• Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is defined as cognitive impairments beyond that expected for age and education of individuals, but which are not significant enough to interfere with their daily activities. MCI is often found to be a transitional stage between normal ageing and dementia
• The diagnostic criteria ICD says it as “a disorder characterized by impairment of memory, learning difficulties, and reduced ability to concentrate on a task for more than brief periods. There is often a marked feeling of mental fatigue when mental tasks are attempted, and new learning is found to be subjectively difficult even when objectively successful. None of these symptoms is so severe that a diagnosis of dementia can be made

Types

• Impairment in memory complaints as easy forgetfulness
• Reduced ability to concentrate on a task more than a brief period
• Mental fatigue when mental tasks are attempted
• Learning difficulties
• None of these symptoms is so severe that a diagnosis of dementia can be made
• Language disturbances
• The typical rate at which MCI patient's progress to Alzheimer's disease is 10 to 15 per cent per year and is associated with progressive loss of function
• Amnestic MCI: Presence of memory symptoms, objective memory impairment on testing, and relative preservation of other cognitive domains, activities of daily living, and occupational abilities
• Non-Amnestic MCI: affects thinking skills other than memory, including the ability to make decisions, and other cognitive abilities (language, visual skills)

Differential diagnosis

• Normal ageing
• Dementia

Investigation

• Clinical Diagnosis is done based on General Criteria for MCI:
• Not normal, not demented ( Does not meet a criterion (DSM V or ICD 10) for a dementia syndrome
• Cognitive decline - Self and/ or informant report impairment on objective cognitive tasks and or Evidence of decline overtime on objective cognitive tasks
• Preserved basic activity of daily living/ minimal impairment in complex instrumental functions.
• MRI Brain

Treatments

Internal Medicines :

• Brahmidrakshadi kashaya, Drakshadi kashaya
• Sankhupushpi choorna + Aswagandha choorna in equal quantity
• Samana snehapana - Brahmikalyanaka ghrita, Brahmi ghrita
• Saraswata choorna
• Saraswatharishta , Aswagandharishata

Procedures:

• Snehapana - Brahmikalyanaka ghrita, Brahmi ghrita
• Virechana
• Yogavasti
• Sirolepa and Takra dhara/ kashayadhara - to reduce the anxiety associated with MCI
• Nasya with Kasheerabala 101
• Sankapushpi vardhamana rasayana

Department

Manasika Roga