Early diagnosis and treatment of cognitive decline. Crucial role of the family doctor

The aging of the population is a relatively new phenomenon in human history and this epochal change in epidemiology is causing problems never faced before on the social and health level. The number of over-60s worldwide has reached the figure of 900 million, equal to 12% of the population, with a forecast of 2.4 billion in 2050, equal to 21% of the total population. The identification, and consequently the epidemiology, of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is even more complex, considered the initial phase of any form of dementia, characterized by a very slight cognitive decline compared to a previous level of performance, of such an extent as to interfere with the normal activities of daily living. This condition is found in about 19% of people over 65, with a conversion rate to dementia of 46%. Even with regard to MCI, the data would seem underestimated, as generally, many subjects do not have a diagnosis in this early stage of the disease.