Duke Memory Disorders Clinic

Since 1986, the Memory Disorders Clinic has been treating a wide range of memory problems arising from diverse medical causes including neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease), vascular problems, and other neurological disorders).  As part of the Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Duke University Medical Center, the clinic provides diagnostic expertise, cutting-edge treatment, and research for memory problems.  Using the latest medical technologies and developments, such as structural/functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI/fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), the clinic provides a thorough evaluation of memory impairment, mental confusion, behavior changes, and intellectual decline.  The Memory Disorders Clinic staff work closely with the patient's personal physician to determine the cause of the memory problem and appropriate treatment.  

For a memory impaired patient, family members play an important informant and caregiver role.  The Memory Disorders Clinic staff meet with the family members to discuss the patient's diagnosis, care, and treatment.  A team approach including neurological, neuropsychological, geropsychiatric, and social work intervention are available to the patient and the family.  The Memory Disorders Clinic is a health service and resource to its patients.  It is also a clinical research site offering the opportunity for voluntary participation in clinical drug trials and other research studies.