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Early dementia vs mild cognitive impairment
I’m so confused. I was diagnosed last fall with vascular dementia. Nothing was said about MCI, what are the symptoms and when does it transition into early dementia or just plain dementia.
Is there a metric for these? A time line? Symptoms which occur in these?
What comes after early dementia? I’m trying to understand where I fit in here.
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Never diagnose yourself for any condition. Many symptoms are just part of you and are not a problem. The trick is to find the right physician to diagnose you who will not make you a permanent patient.
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7 Reactions@fletchette, that's a very good question. Dementia is a general term for memory loss or cognitive decline. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, but there are other common types such as vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal dementia. Early dementia refers to the early stages of any type of dementia.
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the in-between stage between typical thinking skills and dementia. The condition causes memory loss and trouble with language and judgment, but it doesn't affect daily activities. MCI raises the risk of developing dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease or other brain conditions. But for some people with mild cognitive impairment, symptoms might never get worse or even get better.
You can read more on Mayo Clinic:
- Dementia https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dementia/symptoms-causes/syc-20352013
- Mild Cognitive Impairment https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mild-cognitive-impairment/symptoms-causes/syc-20354578
This support group is a place to connect with others living with dementia.
Pattee, what were the first signs that you noticed that led to your diagnosis of vascular dementia?
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2 ReactionsYes. I’ve done much research on this. My symptoms were memory loss and being very forgetful. 3 years ago I went and had all the cognitive tests done at an area hospital. They said that I had MCI. But there was no information given on what this was. They told me to come back in 2 years. In that time my memory has been getting worse. I had all the tests, including an MRI done this time. They said I have vascular dementia. White matter and small vessel disease were causing this. It was a bit of a shock. And still is.