Being diagnosed with MCI doesn’t mean that dementia is immediately just around the corner, but if MCI is left alone without any treatment or preventive measures, cognitive function can decline further by around 10-14% in the first year with reports that around 50% develop dementia in four years time.
Although data suggests a high probability of developing dementia in the course of five years, if changes in lifestyle habits at the MCI stage such as proper treatment, diet, sleep, exercise and cognitive training are taken into consideration, it is possible to stop or slow down the onset of dementia. Some reports have even shown that by working proactively, recovery back to a normal state of mind is possible.
Dementia is a disease that is often found in people over the age of 65, but the best plan of action is to prevent it from the 40s to 50s where improvement is possible at the MCI stage.
If you find yourself becoming more and more forgetful, consulting a medical institution and to starting treatment as early as possible is highly recommended.