Mild cognitive impairment
Dementia information
Mild cognitive impairment, also called MCI, describes memory and thinking problems that are mild but still noticeable.
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What is mild cognitive impairment?
Mild - not severe.
Cognitive - to do with the way our brains think, plan and understand.
Impairment - not working as well as it should.
As we get older, we may notice a natural decline in our memory and thinking.
For a person with MCI, these problems are worse than expected for their age. But unlike dementia, these problems may not get in the way of day-to-day life.
For some people, their memory and thinking can get better over time. For others they may stay the same or get worse.
MCI is not the same as dementia. But for some people, it can develop into conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
When MCI is not caused by Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia, memory and thinking problems may go back to normal with the right treatment.
It is difficult to say exactly how common MCI is. Experts think the actual number of people with MCI maybe higher than those with a diagnosis, because people may not have seen their GP about their memory and thinking problems.
What causes mild cognitive impairment?
MCI can be caused by a range of existing health problems. These include:
- depression, stress, and anxiety
- vitamin deficiencies
- thyroid disorders
- autoimmune conditions
- infections
- side effects from medication
- sleep disorders (such as sleep apnoea, where someone finds it harder to breathe while they’re sleeping)
However, MCI can also be caused by the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, or other types of dementia.
It is important to know what is causing a person’s MCI.
Research has shown that some of the conditions listed above can increase someone’s risk of dementia in the future. These include sleep apnoea, some autoimmune diseases and depression. Many of these can be treated or managed if they are diagnosed early.
When someone’s MCI is caused by the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, their memory and thinking problems will get worse over time.
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Knowing the cause of the MCI will help doctors to decide the best treatment and support to offer.
What do doctors mean by ‘MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease?’
When tests show signs of changes in the brain linked to Alzheimer’s, doctors at the memory clinic may use the term ‘Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease’. These changes include protein build-up found in spinal fluid or seen on specialised brain scans.
This term is only used in cases where symptoms are not affecting daily life.
Knowing that the cause of MCI is due to Alzheimer’s disease helps guide the advice doctors give, the treatments they offer, and whether someone might be suitable for research studies.
These tests are more likely to be offered in memory clinics which are part of a hospital, and would not be available through a GP appointment alone.
How is MCI linked to dementia?
Experts believe that up to 45 out of every 100 people will go on to develop dementia within three to four years if the cause of the MCI is due to Alzheimer’s disease.
For those who do go on to develop dementia, the time this takes can vary from one person to another.
When MCI is caused by the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia or another type of dementia, symptoms will get worse and start to affect a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.
If you notice your symptoms getting worse, you can speak with your doctor.
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This information was updated in November 2025 and is due to be reviewed in November 2027. It was written by Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Information Services team with input from lay and expert reviewers. Please get in touch if you’d like a version with references or in a different format.
This information is produced with support from The Perfume Shop who had no input into the content.
