Cognitive Neurology at OhioHealth
Compassionate Care for Patients With Dementia Syndromes
Our neurologists provide comprehensive assessment, diagnosis and treatment for patients with common and rare complex dementia syndromes, also known as neurodegenerative conditions. Our approach to neurodegenerative care is one of compassion and dedicated expertise for every one of our patients and their families. We spend the time required to diagnose individual patients, working step by step through their dementia symptoms and testing results. We also consult with patients’ families to understand behavioral changes at home and at work.
Clinical Dementia Assessments
Each assessment is individualized and typically includes:
- Cognitive neurology assessment with a cognitive neurologist
- Comprehensive dementia evaluation
- Language evaluation
- Neuropsychological testing
Tests and imaging often involved in diagnosing dementia may include:
- Blood tests (to rule out reversible causes of memory loss, such as thyroid problems or vitamin deficiencies)
- MRI (to look for patterns of atrophy or to rule out other causes of brain dysfunction, such as a tumor or stroke)
- FDG PET Scan (to increase diagnostic accuracy regarding frontotemporal and Alzheimer's dementias)
Dementia Conditions We Treat
We treat common and rare, complex dementia conditions.
Most common conditions of primary neurodegenerative diseases:
- Mild cognitive impairment
- Dementia of Alzheimer's type
- Frontotemporal dementia
- Dementia with Lewy bodies
- Parkinson's disease dementia
- Primary progressive aphasias (logopenic, semantic, agrammatic, apraxia of speech)
- Posterior cortical atrophy
Most common conditions of secondary cognitive dysfunction resulting from:
- Steroid-responsive autoimmune/paraneoplastic encephalopathy
- NMDA encephalitis
- Hepatic or renal failure related encephalopathy
- Chronic sequelae of infectious encephalitis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Tumors
- Epilepsy
- Developmental delay - static brain injury
- Strokes
Treatment of Dementia Syndromes
Our cognitive neurology team works together to provide the results patients and their families need to be able to manage a neurodegenerative condition. This includes providing the most advanced medications, as well as:
- Expert rehabilitative care with speech and physical therapists
- Collaborative care with a patient's primary care physician
- Continued assessment, as needed, by our cognitive neurologist
- Social work assistance
- Support group connections
Warning Signs for the Onset of Dementia, Including Alzheimer’s Disease
Dementia-related memory loss is a cognitive disorder that’s a progressive, real loss of memory. It impairs your ability to function in daily life, including accomplishing everyday tasks, such as shopping, cooking and driving. Its frequency and extremes become noticeable to family and friends.
Symptoms of a serious memory condition include:
- Asking the same questions over and over again
- Getting lost in places you know well, such as your house or neighborhood
- Not being able to follow simple, basic directions
- Becoming more confused about time, people and places
- Not taking care of yourself — eating poorly, not bathing or being unsafe
For more information, read Age-Related Memory Loss: When It’s Normal, When It’s a Warning Sign