Dementia and neurocognitive disorders

Dementia and neurocognitive disorders are observed in many conditions. They involve problems with memory, language, reasoning, or the organization of thought, which may impair the ability to perform daily tasks. These neurocognitive and behavioral disorders can worsen over time. Their frequency increases with age. The first reported symptoms often include a loss of sense of time, recurrent forgetfulness, word-finding difficulties, or trouble following a conversation. Among the degenerative diseases responsible for these symptoms, the most common are Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body disease, and frontotemporal dementia. They may also be observed following brain injuries caused, for example, by one or more strokes.

The Neurology Department of Erasme Hospital provides individualized medical care, starting from the diagnostic process, which is developed together with the patient and their relatives. Within our Integrated Memory Clinic (CIMe) and cognitive disorders unit, the patient is assessed globally (physical, cognitive, behavioral, and other aspects) using clinical tests and paraclinical examinations that allow for a precise diagnosis. Treatments, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological, are then systematically adapted and discussed with the patient.

As research lies at the heart of the hospital’s values, clinical study protocols—focusing both on new therapeutic approaches and more fundamental research—are regularly offered to patients and their relatives if they wish.

If they choose, the patient’s relatives may also benefit from support and guidance, including the possibility to participate in therapy sessions with the patient or to receive home care assistance.

Our expertise is applied in a multidisciplinary manner, both in the diagnostic approach—using modern technologies (such as magnetoencephalography), new biomarkers (plasma-based, electrophysiological, or imaging), and refined neuropsychological assessment—and in the care of patients and their relatives. Their integration into the medical strategies developed for them is systematically encouraged. In addition to the opportunity to contribute to the development of a very large, collaborative, and clinically detailed cohort at the forefront of knowledge, it is also possible to participate in numerous studies, whether pharmaceutical or involving, for example, the use of virtual reality for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.