Memory Loss, Alzheimer's Disease, and Dementia

Andrew E. Budson, MD, Neurology Service, Section of Cognitive & Behavioral Neurology, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA; Alzheimer’s Disease Center & Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; The Boston Center for Memory, Newton, MA; The Memory Clinic, Bennington, VT

Paul R. Solomon, PhD, Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, Williams College, Williamstown, MA; The Boston Center for Memory, Newton, MA; The Memory Clinic, Bennington, VT

SECTION I: EVALUATING THE PATIENT WITH MEMORY LOSS

1. Why Diagnose and Treat Memory Loss, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Dementia?

2. Evaluating the Patient with Memory Loss or Dementia

SECTION II: DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF MEMORY LOSS

3. Approach to the Patient with Memory Loss, Mild Cognitive Impairment, or Dementia

4. Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment due to Alzheimer’s Disease

5. Dementia with Lewy Bodies (Including Parkinson’s Disease Dementia)

6. Vascular Dementia and Vascular Cognitive Impairment

7. Primary Progressive Aphasia & Other Disorders of Speech

8. Frontotemporal Dementia

9. Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

10. Corticobasal Degeneration

11. Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

12. Jakob-Creutzfeldt Disease

13. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

14. Other Disorders That Disrupt Memory

SECTION III: TREATMENT OF MEMORY LOSS

15. Goals of Treatment of Memory Loss, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Dementia

16. Cholinesterase Inhibitors

17. Memantine (Generic and Namenda XR)

18. Vitamins, Herbs, Supplements, and Anti-Inflammatories

19. Future Treatments of Memory Loss

20. Non-Pharmacological Treatment of Memory Loss

SECTION IV: BEHAVIORAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF DEMENTIA

21. Evaluating the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia

22. Caring For and Educating the Caregiver

23. Non-Pharmacological Treatment of the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia

24. Pharmacological Treatment of the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia

SECTION V: ADDITIONAL ISSUES

25. Life Adjustments

26. Legal and Financial Issues

27. Special Issues

ONLINE ONLY APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: Cognitive Test and Questionnaire Forms, Instructions, and Normative Data

APPENDIX B: Screening for Memory Loss

APPENDIX C: Our Current Understanding of Memory

The cohesive text is an appealing blend of personal experience and clinical anecdotes, and is supported by a firm command of the rapidly changing clinical literature. The writing is crisp, lucid and, above all, practice-oriented … Budson and Solomon are especially adroit in identification of controversies, knowledge gaps, and areas in which diagnostic criteria are ill-defined or difficult to apply (eg, fluctuating cognition in dementia with Lewy bodies). Readers are not abandoned without guidance; ambiguities are resolved by confident descriptions of personal approaches to specific situations … The book is an incredible compilation of practical advice. (Lancet Neurology, March 2012)

"The book covers the daunting subject of the evaluation, differential diagnosis, and treatment of patients with dementing illnesses. All chapters start with a point-by-point summary of the content, rapidly orienting readers.Both authors are authorities in the area of neurodegenerative dementias. This is a very good addition to the books on dementias. It is written in a clear style. It will be very useful to readers who are students or generalists, but neurological or neuropsychiatric specialist may want more detail than this book provides." - Eric Gausche, MD(University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine), Doody’s review service, rating - 4 Stars!

"This book summarizes complex material in a manner that benefits clinical practitioners at all levels. This is an excellent addition to the library of professionals serving older adults." - Maureen K. O’Connor, (Psy.D., ABCN, Chief, Neuropsychology Service, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Bedford, MA)

"Designed for easy reference to satisfy the real time needs of clinicians in hectic clinical settings, I’m sure this volume will be dog-eared in short order given its clear no-nonsense style." - Neil W. Kowall, M.D. (Professor of Neurology and Pathology, Boston University School of Medicine, Director, Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center,Chief, Neurology Service, Boston VA Healthcare System)

"Memory Loss: A Practical Guide for Clinicians provides the assessment, diagnostic and therapeutic insights clinicians need to provide exemplary care to memory impaired patients. Don’t go to the clinic without it." - Jeffrey L. Cummings, M.D. (Director, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, The Andrea L. and Joseph F. Hahn MD Chair of Neurotherapeutics)

"Few books provide both a comprehensive review and a step-by-step guide. I strongly recommend this book to all those who treat patients with memory loss-physicians, social workers, psychologists, nurses-at every level of training and experience." - P. Murali Doraiswamy, M.D.(Professor & Head, Division of Biological Psychiatry, Duke University, and co-author of The Alzheimer’s Action Plan)

"From the point of view of the busy clinician working in the trenches but looking for a practical and cutting-edge guide, Doraiswamy said he cannot think of a better book, noting, ‘This is the clinical book of the year in our field.’" (Alzheimer's Research Forum review, December 2011)