In This Episode:

Dr. K answers a question she is often asked: “What’s the difference between Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and mild cognitive impairment (also known as MCI)?” She covers:

• What it means to have “cognitive impairment”
• The definition of “mild cognitive impairment” (MCI) and how it’s diagnosed
• What is dementia, and the diagnostic criteria for diagnosing dementia
• The difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
• What it means to have “preclinical” Alzheimer’s disease
• How Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed
• What to know about the new Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab (Aduhelm)
• How to use this information if your parent is getting evaluated for memory loss or cognitive decline

Related episode: 

002 – 10 Causes of Memory Loss in Aging Parents

Related Resources:

• Related article: How We Diagnose Dementia: The Practical Basics to Know
• Related article: How to Diagnose & Treat Mild Cognitive Impairment
• Free online training: Memory Loss & Safety: How to Have Better Talks & Fewer Fights With Your Aging Parent
• Dr. Kernisan’s book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Geriatrician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Memory Loss, Resistance, Safety Worries, & More
• Get 12 weeks of expert guidance from Dr. K and her team of geriatric care managers, on how & when to step in to help a parent with memory loss: Helping Older Parents with Early Memory Loss Program