Cognitive disorders and Alzheimer’s
Advances in understanding cognitive impairment, memory disorders and Alzheimer’s disease.
What are cognitive disorders?
Cognitive disorders can affect memory, language, attention and other abilities. Some changes have potentially treatable causes; others involve neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, which is not the same as normal age-related memory changes.
Symptoms and assessment
People may develop increasing difficulty remembering recent events, navigating familiar places, finding words or managing daily tasks. Assessment involves medical history, cognitive testing, neurological examination and selected additional investigations.
Care and treatment
Care may include treatments appropriate to the diagnosis, approaches to support independence, cognitive activities and guidance for families and carers. Follow-up helps tailor support over time.
Clinical research
Studies investigate biomarkers, potentially disease-modifying approaches and better measures of cognitive decline. Research concerning Alzheimer’s disease will be linked from this area.