Early cognitive declines are going undiagnosed

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [Physicians are under-diagnosing early mental declines]( By Haley Weiss Heath Reporter It’s rare to hear of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis being a total shock. By the time the presence of the disease is confirmed in an older adult, it's easy to look back and see initial signs of mental decline: a forgotten Thanksgiving recipe, a story from early childhood told one too many times, an extra confusing grocery bill. This slight change in functioning that’s just outside the realm of normal, even for an older person, is referred to as mild cognitive impairment, or MCI. It’s a precursor to a number of conditions that cause dementia, and early detection is critical for the effectiveness of aducanumab, the first-ever Alzheimer’s medication. With the arrival of treatment, doctors are being forced to reckon with how infrequently MCI is diagnosed. Recently, a research team at the University of Southern California has suggested that of more than 7 million cases of MCI nationwide, only around 10% are caught. I talked to Soeren Mattke, one of the lead authors of the study, and he made the following observations: - While there are tests for MCI, the shortest takes 15 minutes, which is longer than many physicians have time for during standard check ups. - Improved detection is particularly important in socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, where risk factors like poor blood pressure and cholesterol—both associated with dementia as well as cardiovascular events—are higher. - Nobody knows more about what's going with older adults than their loved ones, who should press doctors for evaluations if they feel it's warranted. [READ MORE]( Share This Story What Else to Read [The Winner of a $1 Million Philosophy Prize Sees a Silver Lining to Ideas Getting Attacked]( By Janell Ross Sociologist Patricia Hill Collins sees a silver lining to ideas getting attacked. [Read More »]( [What to Know About Bariatric Surgery for Type 2 Diabetes]( By Markham Heid Research indicates that surgery can put diabetes into remission, and it’s safe and cost-effective. [Read More »]( [How to Find Small Moments of Joy in Dark Times]( By Angela Haupt Create a joy bucket list, have recess every day, and dance it out. [Read More »]( [Do Gummy Vitamins Work? Here's What Experts Say]( By Markham Heid They have far more sugar than traditional vitamins. (Originally published in 2019.) [Read More »]( [Why Online Shopping Makes You So Happy]( By Angela Haupt Experts explain the psychology behind online shopping—and tips to show restraint. [Read More »]( ONE LAST READ [Americans will have to wait for the best new COVID drug]( Ensitrelvir is a highly effective drug to treat COVID, and early data show patients who take it produce negative test results 36 hours faster than those who take a placebo. But as Rachel Gutman-Wei writes in the Atlantic, while the drug is available in Japan, Americans may not have access to it for a year as it remains in clinical trials demanded by U.S. regulators. [Read More »]( If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Haley Weiss and Oliver Staley, and edited by Oliver. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.