Lesson 1Cognitive testing tools and bedside examination elements: MMSE, MoCA, executive function and visuospatial testingReviews bedside thinking checks, including quick score tests, attention checks, speech, memory, planning skills, and space sense tests, with read tips, limits, and tweaks for school and 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 tacticsDeals with usual issues in memory loss, like sudden confusion, tumbles, and drug clashes, stressing risk spot, watch plans, cutting drugs, place changes, and 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 on first hospital care for memory loss patients, with safety check, drug list fix, spotting confusion-causing drugs, confusion risk group, stop packs, and 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 high-level body markers like spine fluid plaques and tangles, blood p-tau, and nerve markers, on when to use, read, limits, and how they shape diagnosis, outlook, and trial fits.
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 basic blood and scan checks to rule out fixable thinking drop causes, like thyroid issues, B12 lack, infections, body imbalances, and suggested brain MRI for memory loss.
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 memory loss, like Alzheimer, vessel thinking harm, front brain loss, and body inclusion loss, stressing main signs, usual scans, and bedside 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 and handling restlessness, false beliefs, no interest, and mood in memory loss, stressing place and behaviour ways, drug risk-balance, side watch, and family teaching.
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 at drug and non-drug treatments for memory loss, when to start brain chemical boosters or memantine, side handling, thinking rehab, place tweaks, and family aid plans.
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 declineGives step-by-step diagnosis frame for memory loss, stressing thinking areas, daily task drop, and speed of worsening to sort brain wear, vessel, fixable causes, and guide tests and 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 memory loss guides and agreements, key advice, years, and practice use, including diagnosis rules, marker use, treatment starts, and follow-up.
Major international dementia guidelinesKey diagnostic criteria and updatesGuidance on biomarker use and limitsTreatment and follow-up recommendationsUsing reviews to stay current
