University Health now offers the latest breakthroughs in dementia treatment at the new Memory and Cognitive Evaluation Clinic in downtown Kansas City. The primary focus of the clinic is to diagnose and treat mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Early Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in their beginning stages.
These diseases, when diagnosed early, benefit from new cutting-edge anti-amyloid medications. The FDA-approved anti-amyloid medications are designed to remove a protein called amyloid beta from the brain. These medications have the most impact on slowing the progression of memory loss.
Our expert team of neurologists, led by Dr. Charles Donohoe, works with you, your doctor and family to establish a diagnosis and to evaluate you for specific memory and cognitive therapies.
Dementia symptoms
Signs and symptoms of mild cognitive impairment can include any of the following:
- Forgetting things more often, like appointments or recent conversations
- Losing track of time, dates, or where you are
- Trouble finding the right words during a conversation
- Difficulty following the steps of a plan or task
- Getting distracted more easily than before
- Struggling to make decisions or solve simple problems
- Taking longer to learn something new
- Misplacing items, like keys or glasses, more often
- Feeling more confused in busy or unfamiliar places
- Friends or family noticing changes in memory or thinking
If you or someone you know is experiencing one or more of these signs, our team of expert neurologists can help.
Dementia screening and diagnosis
The first step in a dementia diagnosis is a physical examination by a primary care provider. Your doctor will start with a thorough medical history and detailed review of symptoms. They will also ask questions about your daily life and will most likely want to interview someone close to you, such as a spouse, friend or other caregiver.
Taking the First Step: What You Can Do
Talk to your primary care physician about symptoms you are experiencing or any concerns you, or someone close to you, may have.
Your doctor will perform an initial assessment to rule out other possible causes that can mimic the symptoms of dementia. They will also order blood tests and MRI brain scan. Your primary care physician can then submit the referral needed to schedule an appointment with our memory and cognitive care specialists for further evaluation and diagnosis.
Cognitive and neuropsychological testing
After a patient is referred to the Memory and Cognitive Evaluation Clinic, the next step is often a comprehensive neuropsychological test. This detailed assessment helps determine how well the brain is functioning by using interviews and standardized tests to examine areas such as memory, attention, language, problem-solving, and other cognitive abilities.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
To ensure a smooth and productive visit, please come prepared with the following:
- Someone who knows you well – a spouse, friend, or other caregiver must be present throughout the entire process.
- Insurance card and photo ID
- A list of current medications and their doses
- Reading glasses and/or hearing aids
- Brain scans, results from past memory testing and other relevant medical records from outside University Health (if applicable)
Talk to your doctor about a referral to be seen in the Memory and Cognitive Evaluation Clinic.
The Memory and Cognitive Evaluation Clinic at University Health welcomes new patients. Physician referrals are required, so ask your primary care physician or medical provider to submit a referral to one of our services. For more information, call our neurology department at 816.404.5271.