R41.81 Age-related cognitive decline

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026.

Applicable to

• Senility NOS

Applies from R41 Other symptoms and signs involving cognitive functions and awareness

Excludes1 (never code together)

• dissociative [conversion] disorders (F44.-)
• mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology (G31.84)

MS-DRG index

Defines the logic of DRG(s) 884 in MDC 19.

Approximate ICD-9-CM (GEMs)

• 797 Senility without mention of psychosis (approximate)

Medicare Code Edits (MCE v43.1 (April 2026))

• Adult diagnoses (age 15 through 124): Age conflict edit. These diagnoses are clinically expected only in patients age 15 through 124.

Code annotations containing back-references to R41.81

Back-references to R41.81

• Type 1 Excludes: F06.7 Mild neurocognitive disorder due to known physiological condition ("age related cognitive decline (R41.81)")
• Type 1 Excludes: G30 Alzheimer's disease ("senility NOS (R41.81)")
• Type 1 Excludes: G31.1 Senile degeneration of brain, not elsewhere classified ("senility NOS (R41.81)")
• Type 1 Excludes: G31.84 Mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology ("age related cognitive decline (R41.81)")
• Type 1 Excludes: R54 Age-related physical debility ("age-related cognitive decline (R41.81)")
• Type 1 Excludes: R54 Age-related physical debility ("senility NOS (R41.81)")

Diagnosis Index entries for R41.81

• Decline (general) › cognitive, age-associated
• Frailty (frail) › mental
• Senile, senility
• Symptoms NEC › involving › awareness › senile cognitive decline
• Symptoms NEC › involving › cognitive functions › senile cognitive decline

Nearby codes

• R41.1 Anterograde amnesia
• R41.2 Retrograde amnesia
• R41.3 Other amnesia
• R41.4 Neurologic neglect syndrome
• R41.8 Other symptoms and signs involving cognitive functions and awareness
• R41.81 Age-related cognitive decline (this code)
• R41.82 Altered mental status, unspecified
• R41.83 Borderline intellectual functioning
• R41.84 Other specified cognitive deficit
• R41.840 Attention and concentration deficit
• R41.841 Cognitive communication deficit