Mild Cognitive Impairment in Geriatrics

Mild cognitive impairment remains a clinical diagnosis, aided by history, neurologic examination, screening mental status examination, and secondary testing. It can be difficult to distinguish from normal aging without understanding a patient's prior level of intellectual function and new complaint. Geriatricians encounter patients with mild cognitive impairment in all long-term care settings. Making the diagnosis allows patients and their families to understand limits and develop strategies to maximize function. Etiologies associated with mild cognitive impairment include degenerative and vascular processes, psychiatric causes, and comorbid medical conditions. Treatable medical conditions may also present as mild cognitive impairment and have reversible outcomes.