Cognitive Decline

The vast majority of patients bothered by cognitive decline do not have degenerative dementia like Alzheimer’s. In fact, the more a patient is worried about their forgetfulness, the more likely it is to have a myriad of treatable medical contributors. These are best managed by primary care physicians by treating those medical contributors and counseling patients on diet, exercise, sleep hygiene, and increased social and physical activity, but primary care doctors have little time to do this work and may believe the medical problem is a degenerative dementia. Likewise, many of the primary dementias are dismissed as being depression or other primary psychiatric diagnoses. To properly diagnose this, a physical exam is often required, and treatment of genuine degenerative dementias often requires extensive counseling and includes family discussions. Health Coaching with a Neuropsychiatrist can best help families understand what is happening to their loved ones and how to best manage their care. Individuals may find it helpful to learn about various signs of cognitive decline and what to watch for as symptoms worsen.