Symptoms

Your brain, like the rest of your body, changes as you grow older. Many people notice gradually increasing forgetfulness as they age. It may take longer to think of a word or to recall a person's name.

But consistent or increasing concern about your mental performance may suggest mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Cognitive issues may go beyond what's expected and indicate possible MCI if you experience any or all of the following:

• You forget things more often.
• You forget important events such as appointments or social engagements.
• You lose your train of thought or the thread of conversations, books or movies.
• You feel increasingly overwhelmed by making decisions, planning steps to accomplish a task or understanding instructions.
• You start to have trouble finding your way around familiar environments.
• You become more impulsive or show increasingly poor judgment.
• Your family and friends notice any of these changes.

If you have MCI, you may also experience:

• Depression
• Irritability and aggression
• Anxiety
• Apathy