Lesson 1Cognitive testing tools and bedside examination elements: MMSE, MoCA, executive function and visuospatial testingReviews bed tests for thinking, like MMSE, MoCA, focus on notice, speech, recall, plan skills, sight-space, with read tips, limits, tweaks for school culture.
MMSE structure, scoring, and limitationsMoCA domains, cutoffs, and adjustmentsBedside executive function assessmentsVisuospatial and constructional testingInterpreting results in clinical contextLesson 2Common complications and monitoring: delirium superimposed on dementia, falls, medication interactions and prevention/surveillance tacticsHandles usual dementia woes like added confusion, tumbles, med clashes, stressing risk spot, watch plans, cut meds, place changes, team stop ways.
Recognizing delirium in dementiaFall risk factors and prevention plansHigh-risk medications and interactionsMonitoring cognitive and functional changeCare pathways for recurrent complicationsLesson 3Management principles in early hospitalization: safety assessment, medication review (deliriogenic drugs), risk of delirium and prevention strategiesFocuses first hospital care for dementia folks, safety check, med match, spot confusion drugs, confusion risk group, stop packs, family talks.
Initial safety and supervision assessmentMedication review and deprescribingDelirium risk factors and screeningNonpharmacologic prevention bundlesFamily engagement and discharge planningLesson 4Advanced biomarkers and their clinical role: CSF amyloid/tau, plasma biomarkers (neurofilament light, plasma p-tau) and indicationsReviews fancy markers like fluid plaque tangle, blood p-tau, nerve thread light, when to use, read, limits, how shape diagnosis, outlook, trial fit.
CSF amyloid and tau collection basicsPlasma p-tau assays and cutoffsNeurofilament light as injury markerClinical indications for biomarker testingLimitations, access, and ethical issuesLesson 5Baseline laboratory and structural imaging to exclude reversible causes: thyroid, B12, RPR, CBC, CMP, and brain MRI protocol for dementiaSets base bloods scans to rule out fixable thinking drop causes, like gland ill, vit lack, germ tests, salts, brain MRI setup for dementia.
Standard laboratory dementia panelScreening for infectious contributorsMetabolic and nutritional abnormalitiesBrain MRI sequences for dementiaWhen CT is acceptable or insufficientLesson 6Common neurodegenerative etiologies and key distinguishing features: Alzheimer disease, vascular cognitive impairment, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementiaDetails usual brain wear causes of dementia, plaque disease, vessel thinking harm, front-time dementia, body dementia, main signs, scan looks, bed hints.
Alzheimer disease: memory-led presentationVascular cognitive impairment patternsFrontotemporal dementia behavioral variantsLewy body dementia core clinical featuresImaging clues to differentiate etiologiesLesson 7Recognizing and managing neuropsychiatric symptoms: agitation, psychosis, apathy — safe acute strategies and antipsychotic risksCovers spotting handling restless, mad thoughts, no drive, mood in dementia, place behavior ways, med risk gain, watch bads, family teach.
Clinical features of agitation and aggressionAssessment of psychosis and hallucinationsApproaches to apathy and mood symptomsNonpharmacologic de-escalation strategiesAntipsychotic indications and safety risksLesson 8Pharmacologic symptomatic treatments and when to initiate cholinesterase inhibitors or memantine; nonpharmacologic interventions and caregiver supportLooks med non-med dementia aids, when start nerve boosters memantine, side handle, think rehab, place tweaks, family aid setups.
Indications for cholinesterase inhibitorsMemantine use and combination therapyManaging treatment side effectsEvidence-based nonpharmacologic strategiesCaregiver education and respite resourcesLesson 9Diagnostic framework for dementia: cognitive domains, functional impairment, and course of declineOutlines step diagnosis frame for dementia, thinking areas, daily drop, speed to sort wear, vessel, fixable, guide checks advice.
Core cognitive domains and typical deficitsFunctional decline and loss of independenceOnset, tempo, and progression patternsDistinguishing dementia from normal agingRed flags for nondegenerative etiologiesLesson 10Key guideline and review sources for dementia evaluation and management (with year identifiers)Sums big dementia guides agreements, key tips, years, practice use, diagnosis rules, marker use, treat levels, follow plans.
Major international dementia guidelinesKey diagnostic criteria and updatesGuidance on biomarker use and limitsTreatment and follow-up recommendationsUsing reviews to stay current
