Cognitive impairment

Referenced definition

“Decline from a previously attained level of cognitive functioning.”

Source: Sachdev PS, Blacker D, Blazer DG, Ganguli M, Jeste DV, Paulsen JS et al. Classifying neurocognitive disorders: the DSM-5 approach. Nature Reviews Neurology. 2014 Nov;10(11):634-642.

Context

“Cognitive impairment can be classified into three severity levels: Mild (difficulty with instrumental activities of daily living), Moderate (difficulty with basic activities of daily living), and Severe (fully dependent on caregivers).”

Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine. Cognitive impairment. [Internet]. [cited on Sept 7, 2022]. 

Note

• Doctors may perform different exams, such as MMSE, to know if the brain’s functions are being affected.
• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an early stage of memory problems, which does not affect daily life and is not as severe as dementia. However, it can be a sign of Alzheimer’s disease.