Dr Kellyn Lee, a chartered psychologist at the University of Southampton, spotlighted the relationship between MCI and some types of dementia
Having one little-known condition may increase your risk of dementia, an ageing specialist has warned. Dr Kellyn Lee, a chartered psychologist at the University of Southampton, has dedicated her career to researching dementia at a time when over 944,000 people in the UK have the condition.
In a recent TikTok, she drew attention to a specific impairment that may lead to further cognitive decline over time but stressed that it isn’t a black-and-white picture. “Somebody has asked me, ‘If you have MCI, a Mild Cognitive Impairment, will this lead to dementia later on?'”, she said to her 21,000 followers.
“So, research has found that having MCI can indeed raise the risks of developing dementia, but it’s not conclusive. It depends on what the underlying cause of the MCI is in the first place.”
MCI describes a condition in which someone might begin to experience problems with memory or thinking. This could include frequently forgetting things, losing track of thoughts, struggling to follow conversations, or navigating familiar places.
Alzheimer’s Society explains that while such issues may cause difficulties, they aren’t necessarily severe enough to dramatically interfere with everyday tasks. Although MCI is not the same as dementia, it may give rise to Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of the condition later on.
Dr Lee continued: “So, MCI can be caused by a range of different conditions or health problems, which can include things like depression, anxiety, stress, vitamin deficiencies, sleep apnea, thyroid disorders, autoimmune conditions, [and] infections.
“It can be side effects from medication but also can be the early stages of Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia. So, it is not totally clear, as is anything with dementia.
“So depending on the cause, though, some people with MCI may find that their memory and their thinking problems stay the same, they don’t necessarily escalate, they don’t necessarily progress, but for others, they may get worse over time.”
Aside from MCI, scientists believe that numerous other factors influence dementia risk. Last year, research from the University of Oxford found that type two diabetes, alcohol consumption, pollution and even sleep deprivation are among the worst of them.
Conversely, another study from the University of Bristol found that a steady aerobic exercise regime may also protect the brain from cognitive decline. Dr Lee summarised: “So, MCI does not necessarily lead to dementia. However, it depends on what those underlying conditions are in the first place.”
Do I have dementia?
Dementia is an umbrella term referring to various conditions linked with the ongoing decline of the brain. Symptoms during its onset may include:
- Memory loss
- Struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word
- Being confused about time and place
- Mood changes
- Difficulty concentrating
- Finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping
The NHS encourages anyone experiencing these symptoms to visit a GP for advice.