What is cognitive impairment?

Cognitive impairment is when you have problems remembering things, concentrating, making decisions and solving problems.

Cognitive impairment is a symptom, it is not an illness. It can be caused by many conditions.

Cognitive impairment can go from mild to severe. Sometimes, cognitive impairment can get better.

Cognitive impairment is more common in older people — but not every older person has cognitive impairment. It is not a normal sign of ageing.

What symptoms are related to cognitive impairment?

If you have a cognitive impairment, you may notice problems:

• remembering things
• thinking
• planning and organising things
• controlling your emotions
• when communicating with other people

What causes cognitive impairment?

There are many causes of cognitive impairment.

The most common causes of cognitive impairment are:

• delirium — can be a sign of a serious medical problem
• dementia
• depression

Some other causes of cognitive impairment are:

• brain injury
• COVID-19
• drug use
• intellectual disability
• side effects from medicines
• stroke

How is the cause of cognitive impairment diagnosed?

To work out if you have cognitive impairment, your doctor may ask you about your symptoms and general health. They may also ask questions to test your:

• memory
• concentration
• understanding

A scale that doctors often use for this, is called the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Your doctor may also want to know if it's ok to ask your family or loved ones some questions. This is because people close to you may have noticed changes in your behaviour over time.

To find the cause of your cognitive impairment, your doctor may also arrange:

• blood tests
• a brain CT scan

Your doctor may also organise a pharmacy review, also known as a Home Medicines Review. This is where a pharmacist looks at all the medicines that you take. They will check to see if any of your medicines or combinations of medicines could be causing your symptoms.

When should I see my doctor?

See your doctor, if you, or someone you know shows signs of cognitive impairment.

How is cognitive impairment treated?

Your treatment will depend on what is causing your cognitive impairment.

If the cause is not clear, your doctor will want to check how you're going over time. They may also refer you to see a specialist such as a geriatrician (expert in managing the health of older people).

Self-care at home

Lifestyle changes can help to delay the progress of mild cognitive impairment:

• exercise regularly
• eat a balanced diet
• have healthy sleep habits
• stay socially engaged
• keep your brain active — anything from a doing a crossword to playing an instrument can help

What are the complications of cognitive impairment?

Cognitive impairment may be an early sign of dementia. But having a mild cognitive impairment does not mean that you will get dementia.

If you have dementia, it's important to stop activities like driving, to keep yourself and others safe.

In hospital, cognitive impairment can often result in falls.

Can cognitive impairment be prevented?

Some things that can help lower the chance of cognitive impairment are:

• being physically active
• eating a balanced diet
• keeping a healthy weight
• quitting smoking or vaping
• reducing or stopping drinking alcohol at harmful levels
• doing cognitive training

It's important to also manage any existing health conditions, such as:

• depression
• diabetes
• dyslipidaemia (blood lipid levels)
• hypertension (high blood pressure)

Resources and support

You can learn more about cognitive impairment on the Caring for Cognitive Impairment website.

The Caring for Cognitive Impairment site also has resources on your Healthcare Rights available in many languages.

Dementia Australia offers a free, online, small-group program to support people with mild-cognitive impairment.

If you're aged under 65 years and have severe cognitive impairment, you may be eligible for support from the NDIS.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.