Behavioral Neurology Program
(UCLA Neurobehavior Clinic)
The Behavioral Neurology Program is the referral for uncommon, unusual, or atypical neurocognitive disorders such as early- or young-onset Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, and progressive cognitive problems.
Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD)
About 5 percent of Alzheimer's patients have early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD) with age of onset of younger than 65 years. Patients with EOAD require special expertise in diagnosis and management as they can be quite different from the usual Alzheimer’s disease. For example, they often present with non-memory difficulties, such as decline in words or language, spatial or visual abilities, the ability to calculate, and other specific cognitive problems. These patients may have additional neurobiological differences, as well as unique psychosocial needs. Our program is one of the few centers dedicated to the study of the unique aspects of EOAD.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD)
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and other focal dementias are an important group of brain disorders that result in behavioral, cognitive, or language changes. Although far less is known about FTD than about Alzheimer's disease, research during the last 10 years has greatly increased our understanding of these disorders. Researchers at UCLA and elsewhere continue to make discoveries about frontotemporal dementia, formerly known as Pick's disease, and other brain-behavior syndromes.
Symptoms of FTD (Pick's disease) include:
- Change in personality
- Lack of interest in usual activities or family and friends
- Socially embarrassing behavior
- Unusual compulsive or rigid behavior
- Unusual eating behavior
- Difficulty with speaking and finding or understanding words
Other progressive cognitive problems
- Primary progressive aphasia and semantic dementia—speaking and word finding problems
- Posterior cortical atrophy—seeing and reading problems
- Corticobasal degeneration and progressive supranuclear palsy—problems with movement or motor coordination of arms or eyes.
- Any other progressive problem with cognition, reading, writing, spatial abilities, reasoning, judgment or mathematics
About the UCLA Neurobehavior Clinic
The UCLA Neurobehavior Clinic specializes in the diagnosis and management of EOAD, FTD and other progressive cognitive problems. The clinic evaluates all focal brain degeneration associated with dementia. Criteria for patient referral include:
- Presence of a change in behavior or thinking with a strong suspicion of an underlying non-acute brain degeneration.
- Prior medical evaluations and brain scans sent to UCLA for review prior to the patient's visit.
UCLA Neurobehavior Clinic evaluation:
- The process is usually completed in two visits with scheduled tests in-between the two appointments.
- The evaluation may include a neuropsychological assessment, functional brain imaging, and specialized behavioral testing. (In addition, neurogenetic assessment is available)
- Provides referring clinicians consultations on these focal dementia syndromes.
- The clinic sends referring clinicians a summary consultation report upon completion of the evaluation.
- This consultation can provide the patient's physician with medication and behavioral management strategies.
- Education and counseling are also provided to patients, families, and caregivers.
- Alternatively, if preferred, the patient can be managed through the UCLA Neurobehavior Clinic.
UCLA Neurobehavior Clinic research
In addition to consultation and patient care, the UCLA Neurobehavior Clinic is involved in much-needed research on these neurological conditions. Potential research participation is available in studies exploring the behavioral, cognitive, neuroimaging, and genetic aspects of these disorders. Ongoing studies involve neurocognitive and neuroimaging studies of EOAD, FTD, and related conditions.
A few select publications
- Mendez MF. Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Neurol Clin 2017;35:263-281.
- Mendez MF. What is the relationship of traumatic brain injury to Alzheimer’s disease? J Alzheimer Dis 2017;57:667-681.
- Mendez MF. Frontotemporal Dementia: Therapeutic Interventions. Front Neurol Neurosci 2009;24:168-178.
- Mendez MF, Cummings JL. Dementia: A Clinical Approach, Third Edition. Butterworth-Heinemann (Elsevier), Philadelphia, PA, 2003 (ISBN: 0750674709).
- Clark DL, Boutros NN, Mendez MF. The Brain and Behavior: An Introduction to Behavioral Neuroanatomy, Fourth Edition. Blackwell Science, Malden MA, 2018.
UCLA Neurobehavior Clinic staff
- Mario F. Mendez, MD, PhD- Behavioral and cognitive neurologist and UCLA Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry.
- Megan Laffey, PhD- Neuropsychologist
- Elvira Jimenez, MPH- Senior Staff Research Associate
- Lorena Monserrat, PhD - Neuropsychologist
- Randy Desarzant, B.A. - Research Associate
- Diana Chavez, B.A. - Research Associate
In addition, as part of the UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Center, the UCLA Neurobehavior Clinic offers the resources of a large group of affiliated clinicians and investigators, including psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, neuroimagers, speech pathologists, and geneticists.
Contact us
Appointments to the clinic are made by calling neurological services at 310-794-1195, faxing at 310-794-7491, or mailing at ATTN: “NEUROBEHAVIOR,” Neurological Services. 300 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite B200 Los Angeles, CA 90095.
Director
Faculty
Megan Laffey, PhD
Elvira Jimenez, MPH
Lorena Monserrat, PhD
Randy Desarzant, BA
Diana Chavez, BA
