Mild Cognitive Impairment

Your Forgetfulness May Be Treatable; Dr. R Bart Sangal Diagnoses Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Do you find it hard to remember peoples’ name?

Are you often misplacing things – like your keys or your glasses?

Is the right word on the tip of your tongue, but you can’t recall it?

Answering “yes” to these questions can be both frustrating and upsetting. But, you think, you can still remember things that happened a long time ago just fine. You are a fine planner and your organizational skills are as good as ever.

All of that may be true. Further, as time marches on, we all become a bit forgetful. That’s part of normal aging.

However, if you are concerned your memory is not what it used to be, you owe it to yourself and your family to find out what’s going on. It may be normal aging. It could be MCI – mild cognitive impairment. There may be a medical cause for your memory loss. MCI is not dementia. However, it may be pre-dementia or pre-Alzheimer’s disease? The sooner you are diagnosed, the sooner you can either be reassured, or get properly treated.

What Causes Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)?

Low Vitamin B12 can affect memory.

Low folic acid can cause memory loss.

Hypothyroidism can create memory problems.

Sleep Disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, and daytime sleepiness, can cause MCI.

Blood vessel changes in the brain can impair memory, and can be caused by

  • Uncontrolled high blood pressure (now or in the past)
  • Diabetes
  • Generalized inflammation
  • Sleep Apnea
  • High lipids or cholesterol.

Undiagnosed Attention Deficit (ADD/ ADHD) can show up as memory problems in older people.

Depression can make it hard to remember.

Brain tumors can cause rapid memory loss.

Normal changes with age can impact memory.

Diagnosing & Treating Mild Cognitive Impairment

Dr. R Bart Sangal is the founder of the Sleep & Attention Disorders Institute in Sterling Heights, Mich. When people think about attention disorders, they often think of ADD or ADHD. However, MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) is an attention disorder that affects people as they age.

Of course, as we get older, our memories are naturally not as sharp as they once were. That’s normal. So is it MCI or normal aging?

Dr. Sangal will use a painless EEG based test to find out if your brain is slowing down. Read more about testing here.

Neuro-psychological testing allows us to compare your memory to your ability levels and your predicted memory levels.

A blood workup and MRI may show other reasons for your mild cognitive impairment. (Additionally, bloodwork may reveal a genetic marker for lipid levels which can also predict likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.)

If Dr. Sangal diagnosis MCI, rest assured he will suggest the best treatment for you. If you have a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea or insomnia, treatment can most definitely help. Attention deficit is easily treated. If your blood work shows an imbalance, Dr. Sangal can suggest treatment.

If he suspects pre-dementia or pre-Alzheimer’s disease, he can prescribe medicines that may slow the progress of these conditions. However, please note, these medicines should not be taken if you do not have pre-dementia, as they can then cause health problems.

If all the tests come back normal, you can relax. You are probably showing normal signs of aging. Generally speaking, that’s great news. Dr. Sangal will then recommend that you come back to the Sleep & Attention Disorders Institute in a year. If repeat testing shows no worsening, you probably do not have pre-dementia.

Contact the Sleep & Attention Disorders Institute today to set up your first appointment. Patients from all over the Greater Detroit metro area come to see Dr. Sangal, including residents throughout Michigan’s Oakland and Macomb counties. We are located in the vicinity of Bloomfield Township, Macomb Township, and Clinton Township. Warren, Royal Oak and Pontiac are close by.

Contact Dr. R Bart Sangal Today About Your Memory Issues.  Helping People in Sterling Heights, Clinton, Warren, and Others Across Michigan.

If you are concerned about your own memory or believe a loved one’s memory may be failing, it’s time to find out for certain. At the Sleep & Attention Disorders Institute in Sterling Heights, Mich., Dr. Sangal and his well-trained, friendly technicians have been treating patients for more than 30 years. We are located where Sterling Heights, Shelby Township, Rochester Hills and Troy come together. Call us at 586-254-0707 or fill out the form so we may contact you.

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