Grant: Operating Grant

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a recent problem and disease category that involves geriatric care, neuroscientific research and pharmacological advances. Since MCI can be a predictor of dementia, it has become a serious issue, despite the uncertainty which surrounds it. This research focuses on the public's beliefs, perceptions and knowledge regarding MCI. Although some research exists on dementia literacy there is a gap in understanding the subjective dimension regarding how older individuals perceive their experiences and conceptualize cognitive deficits. The team of two sociologists and one psychologist addresses this gap by pursuing three original research activities: a) A theoretical and historical examination of the memory sciences and the development of MCI as a disease category, b) An analysis of the psychological and clinical testing and development of memory-drug hypotheses and products, c) A sociological qualitative investigation, through focus groups and interviews with older adults, caregivers and professionals, to discover the meaning, experiences, attitudes and consequences of cognitive impairment and its treatments in everyday contexts. The research will also discuss the relevant ethical controversies which have arisen around enhancement interventions aimed at treating memory loss. MCI is an ideal opportunity to investigate wider social patterns that connect the fields of aging and memory, and the social determinants of health and dementia. The goal is to produce better ways of understanding MCI that expand beyond the disease model to include the influence of social relationships and the role of professional care. This research can also aid in the evaluation of MCI by adding a rich interdisciplinary inquiry into what MCI means today and how best our cultures of expertise (clinical, pharmacological, psychogeriatric) and individuals diagnosed with MCI can participate in a shared agenda for aging well in the face of cognitive impairment.