Three tips: What steps to take if you have a family history of Alzheimer's Disease.

Written by: Home Memory Screen Staff Writers

Last updated: October 21, 2024 - 4 minute read

Background:

Timely Detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment is Important To Initiate Earlier Prevention.  Family members ask:

• "Will this happen to me?"
• "What is the state of my “brain health” right now?"
• "How can I detect any meaningful changes as early as possible?"
• "Can I track my brain health over time?"
• "Is there anything I can do to reduce my risk?"

Significant gaps remain in the detection of MCI, especially earlier in the disease when symptoms are subtle and are difficult to distinguish from normal aging.  

While no one can know with certainty if you are destined to develop Alzheimer’s, there are ways to know your brain’s current state of cognitive health and take meaningful steps to be proactive in optimizing your brain’s health.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) refers to a small but measurable degree of cognitive decline caused by a medical condition. It has the prevalence as high as 42% in population-based studies of primary care practices [Pedersen et al. 2014].

• MCI is not usually detectable by casual conversation or observation, and approximately 60% of persons with MCI are unaware they have a memory problem [Purser et al. 2006]. Persons with MCI perform well-learned skills normally, such as cooking, shopping, paying bills, managing finances or driving, but have trouble incorporating and applying new knowledge.
• Indicators of MCI are difficulty remembering recent conversations or events, keeping track of schedule and appointments, or using new guidelines to manage a business.

Everyone is forgetful now and then. How can we distinguish between what is normal and benign or know when memory and cognitive abilities begin to signal the presence of an underlying medical condition?

Get the Most Accurate Test

The MCI Screen is a cognitive assessment and an appropriate first step in distinguishing normal cognitive abilities from what is not normal. The MCI Screen answers the question: “Is my cognition consistent with normal aging or is my cognition affected by an underlying medical condition, that should be further worked-up by my physician?”

The MCI Screen is *97% accurate in discriminating cognitive changes that are due to normal aging from cognitive changes that are due to an underlying medical condition.

There are two key benefits of precise memory assessment provided by the MCI Screen. The first is to reassure healthy individuals, who are aging normally, that any perceived memory changes are benign. The second is to detect mild cognitive impairment due to an emerging medical condition at its earliest and most treatable stage.

Once Symptoms Present, Time is of the Essence

More about Alzheimer's

• Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia. 6.9 million Americans are estimated to be living with Alzheimer’s dementia, or about 1 in 9 people who are 65 and older.
• Those with a family member or relative affected by Alzheimer’s want to know as early as possible if they are at risk.
• The MCI Screen is 97% accurate in detecting Mild Cognitive Impairment, the earliest detectable stage of cognitive decline.