Anosognosia for Memory Deficits in Mild Cognitive Impairment: “My Memory Runs as Usual”

Anosognosia is a neuropsychological condition characterized by poor or absent awareness of one’s own deficits. It can be found in comorbidity with different neurological disorders, spanning from hemiplegia to dementia. In this entry, the focus will be on mild cognitive impairment (MCI), widely acknowledged as a critical juncture in the continuum from normal aging to dementia. In particular, special attention will be brought to anosognosia for memory deficits. Identifying decreased awareness in MCI calls into question the syndrome’s historical operational definition and prompts new clinical reflections. Here, an overview is provided of theoretical models framing the emergence of anosognosia for cognitive deficits, alongside an examination of the most prevalent methodologies used for its assessment in both clinical and experimental settings. With this in mind, the main studies investigating anosognosia for memory deficits in MCI will be discussed.