{"id":1265,"date":"2026-07-22T20:49:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T20:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/?p=1265"},"modified":"2026-07-22T20:49:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T20:49:14","slug":"they-do-not-necessarily-lead-to-alzheimers-disease-what-are-minor-neurocognitive-disorders-and-what-can-be-done","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/?p=1265","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThey do not necessarily lead to Alzheimer\u2019s disease,\u201d what are minor neurocognitive disorders \u2013 and what can be done?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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On World Alzheimer\u2019s Day, we\u2019re focusing on minor neurocognitive disorders, formerly known as mild cognitive impairment. What are the risks, when should you seek help, and what can be done to minimize them?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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As we age, memory lapses are not uncommon. While these can have various causes, they can sometimes be the result of minor neurocognitive disorders. Long referred to as mild cognitive impairment, these disorders were renamed to\u00a0<\/span>\u201cavoid confusion with the early stages of Alzheimer\u2019s disease,\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0explains Dr. Ma\u00ef Panchal, Director General of the Vaincre Alzheimer Foundation, in an interview with\u00a0<\/span>Femme Actuelle<\/span><\/em>\u00a0. But what exactly are they?<\/span><\/p>\n

What are minor neurocognitive disorders?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Minor neurocognitive disorders are relatively common. Indeed, a 2023 French study, led in particular by neurologist Audrey Gabelle and published in the\u00a0<\/span>Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer\u2019s Disease,<\/span><\/em>\u00a0estimates that approximately 1.65 million people in France have minor cognitive disorders related to Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a state where the person has minor difficulties with memory or thinking, but it doesn\u2019t impact their daily life or work,\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0explains Dr. Ma\u00ef Panchal. However,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cthey don\u2019t necessarily lead to Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/span><\/em>\u00a0.\u201d Indeed, she explains that some people remain at this stage their entire lives, while others progress to a neurodegenerative disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

At what point should we be concerned about the presence of neurocognitive disorders?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

On the contrary, the symptoms of Alzheimer\u2019s disease directly impact daily life.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cAlzheimer\u2019s disease often manifests as recent memory loss (for example, forgetting what you ate for lunch or a recent family event),\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0explains Dr. Ma\u00ef Panchal. But it can also present itself in other ways, notably through:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  • language disorders<\/span>\u00a0(\u00a0difficulty finding words, saying one word for another);<\/span><\/li>\n
  • problems with spatial orientation (no longer knowing how to read a map, getting lost in a roundabout);<\/span><\/li>\n
  • or even personality changes (apathy, depression, withdrawal).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \u201cIt\u2019s important to consult a doctor, because other causes can mimic Alzheimer\u2019s,\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0insists the specialist, who lists depression, medication side effects, thyroid disorders, and vitamin B deficiencies. This message is all the more important because\u00a0<\/span>\u201csome of these causes are reversible.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    Read more on the next page ><\/strong><\/p>\n

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    Which healthcare professionals should one consult in case of minor cognitive impairments?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Dr. Ma\u00efa Panchal initially advises consulting a general practitioner.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThey can prescribe tests (blood tests, imaging, etc.) and then refer you to a neurologist, a geriatrician, or a memory clinic,\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0she explains. Furthermore, neuropsychological tests can also help differentiate between depression and Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Dr. Mai Panchal emphasizes the importance of early detection.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cEarly diagnosis allows patients to benefit from future treatments, which primarily target the early stages,\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u00a0she points out. But it also allows them to participate in clinical trials and plan for their future while they are still able to make decisions.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cFinally, early diagnosis avoids certain medical risks (for example, avoiding general anesthesia, which can worsen symptoms in patients).\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

    How to reduce the risk of cognitive decline?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

    While the disease is multifactorial, as the expert points out, there are nevertheless modifiable risk factors. It is therefore advisable to:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    • prevent cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol);<\/span><\/li>\n
    • stimulate your brain (continuing education, professional responsibilities, intellectual activities, curiosity, travel, social interactions);<\/span><\/li>\n
    • move regularly: not necessarily sport, but adapted\u00a0<\/span>physical activity<\/span>\u00a0(walking, gardening\u2026);<\/span><\/li>\n
    • to have a\u00a0<\/span>balanced diet<\/span>\u00a0, close to the Mediterranean diet.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      On World Alzheimer\u2019s Day, we\u2019re focusing on minor neurocognitive disorders, formerly known as mild cognitive impairment. What are the risks,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1266,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1265"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1267,"href":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1265\/revisions\/1267"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodguide.delicedcook.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}