Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Stage of the Frontotemporal Dementias: Early Diagnosis and Management

Abstract

The mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage of neurodegenerative diseases refers to an early clinical phase of the disease in which a change has been observed in an individual's cognition or behavior but the person is generally able to maintain independent functioning in daily activities with minimal aids or assistance. At an early stage of most neurodegenerative diseases, including the Frontotemporal Dementias, it can be very difficult to determine whether a person has symptoms of a progressive illness or is suffering from a condition less likely to progress, or even exhibiting symptoms consistent with normal aging. It is critical to identify individuals with MCI, since people with this clinical syndrome are at elevated risk of progressive cognitive decline. In the case of Primary Progressive Aphasia, a neurodegenerative disease in which speech and/or language abilities are gradually lost, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) may be one of the initial clinical providers in the MCI stage. The SLP is therefore critical in helping to determine whether a change in language abilities is a result of normal aging, a neurodegenerative process, or other etiologies.