ABOUT 18 per cent of people in their 50s in Singapore suffer from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) - an indication of the early onset of dementia.
Doctors say the worrying trend is that the condition has a high chance of progressing if it goes undiagnosed - yet, many people dismiss memory loss as a normal and inevitable part of ageing.
To raise awareness of MCI and highlight the importance of early diagnosis among both family doctors and the public, the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) is organising free public screening for MCI for people above 45.
In conjunction with the NNI Memory Awareness week, the screening will be held between 9am and 3pm over two weekends.
The first session will be at the NNI Neuroscience Specialist Outpatient Clinic at Tan Tock Seng Hospital this Sunday, and the second one at the Specialist Outpatient Clinic E at Block 1, Singapore General Hospital on Nov 30.
Admission is free but by pre-registration only. To register, please call the NNI hotline at 6357-7152.
