Discourses around a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How do people with a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment use discourses to interpret the diagnosis?
IRAS ID
140596
Contact name
Sian Pierce
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bangor University
Research summary
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a mild decline in either single or multiple cognitive domains, such as memory, attention, visuospatial or executive functioning abilities. However, unlike a diagnosis of dementia, global cognitive abilities remain intact alongside the person’s ability to undertake basic activities of daily living (Gauthier, Reisberg, Zaudig, Peterson, Ritchie, Broich et al., 2006). MCI is used to describe a heterogeneous clinical state that over time may progress into dementia, remain stable or revert back to normal.
The majority of research into MCI has focussed on characterising the rates, predictors and potential modifiers of progression to specific dementia types (Petersen, Doody, Kurz, Mohs, Morris, Rabins, et al, 2001).
A number of themes have emerged through the narrative accounts of people diagnosed with MCI. This has included contextual factors, such as the process of normal aging and individual experiences of those with dementia, alongside media coverage of dementia. People diagnosed with MCI have also reacted to the diagnosis with a range of emotional responses. Studying the discourses of those who have been given a MCI diagnosis will contribute to the understanding of how the language used reflects views in society about people with MCI and how this has impacted on how this group of people react and make sense of the diagnosis, alongside the individual and social factors that may play an important role.
REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
14/WA/1072
Date of REC Opinion
18 Jul 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion