Henry Montero, LMHC, CASAC-2, CTTS
Alquimedez Mental Health Counseling
1154 E. Tremont Ave Bronx, NY 10460-2452
Tel: 718-664-7679
www.alquimedez.com
Email: info@alquimedez.com
Twitter: @henmontero
Instagram: alquimedezmentalhealth
Cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as it is medically known, is defined as the phase between an individual’s expected deterioration in healthy aging and the more severe decline of dementia.
Symptoms
It is only natural that the human brain, much like the rest of the body, deteriorates as we grow older. This is primarily why people gradually experience loss of memory, or they merely forget menial things. Even remembering trivial aspects of your daily life like another person’s name or an address may prove to be a little bit more complicated as time passes.
Individuals who are experiencing cognitive deterioration as time goes by may exhibit a variety of characteristics such as the forgetfulness above. This can include being unable to remember mundane events like social meetings or a doctor’s appointment.
They may lose their chain of thought as a consequence of cognitive decline and may be unable to have conversations about books or movies without knowing full details. Also, victims may be uneasy when faced with making decisions or planning a simple task as well.
Cognitive decline patients may face difficulties in finding their way, even if they inhabit a familiar setting like their home or a market they frequent. Also, they are also likely to become impulsive and make rash decisions which are not by their general demeanor.
Diagnosis
The detection of cognitive decline is an essential aspect of retaining a patient’s mental health. To ensure that they do not entirely slip away, it is important that the issue is identified. Those who are in proximity to patients have a pivotal role in this regard.
For example, friends and family around patients facing a cognitive decline may notice memory lapses in them. In some cases, the person himself may observe cases where their memory fails them. The best case scenario in this instance is to consult a medical professional at the earliest.
Seeing a specialist is highly recommended because in most cases, people facing a cognitive decline end up developing Alzheimer’s eventually. As far as the statistics are concerned, about 80% of patients end up developing Alzheimer’s within seven years of the onset of cognitive decline. On the other hand, only 3% of people aged 65 and over are likely to develop the disease at some point.
Science suggests that cognitive impairment is linked to genetics. This is a factor in determining if an individual is likely to develop MCI and ultimately Alzheimer’s as well. Typically, doctors carry out tests to gauge a patient’s memory, thought patterns and language skills before they can positively determine if the person’s brain is in decline.
There is no definitive treatment for cognitive decline yet. However, specialists suggest that an individual should execute certain activities that enable him to stay healthy and process his gradual decline.