Study Examines Incidence of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Older Americans

Mayo Clinic Study of Aging researchers report that more than six percent of Americans ages 70 to 89 develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI) each year. In addition, the condition seems to affect men and those who only have a high school education more so than women and those who have completed some higher education. Those with MCI are at the stage between the normal forgetfulness associated with aging and developing dementia, like that caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

According to research, 296 of the 1,450 participants developed MCI — an incidence rate of 6.4 percent per year overall. Among men, the incidence rate was 7.2 percent, compared to 5.7 percent per year for women. The study, “The Incidence of MCI Differs by Subtype and is Higher in Men,” was published in the Jan. 25, 2012, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. For more information, click here to read the full release.