Universitat Internacional de Catalunya - BarcelonaFrom Cognitive Normality to Dementia: Experience in Clinical Practice, Research and Translational Medicine
Main language of instruction: Catalan
Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish,
Head instructor
Dra. Mercè BOADA - mboada@uic.es
Office hours
Titular professor: Dra. Mercè Boada Rovira, MD, PhD . Mail: mboada@fundacioace.org
Subject's coordinator and professor: Dra Ester Esteban de Antonio, MD. Mail: eesteban@uic.es
Other professors:
Dr Sergi Valero- svalero@uic.es
Lc Juan Pablo Tartari- jtartari@uic.es
Dra Marta Marquié
Dra Maria Pilar Cañabate
Lda. Maitee Rosende-Roca- mrosenderoca@uic.es
Lda. Carla Sonsiree Abdelnour
Dra Maria Montserrat Alegret- malegret@uic.es
MsU Itziar de Rojas
Alzheimer's disease is the fourth global health problem, considering the pandemic of the 21st century. Its health, social and economic impact is of the first magnitude. Given the high prevalence of this pathology, all medical professionals will attend people with cognitive impairment in their daily clinical practice. This fact makes it necessary for medical students to receive training in comprehensive care for dementias and to know the main current and future scientific challenges of this medical field.
The ACE Foundation is a specialized and reference monographic entity that serves not only people with cognitive disorders, Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, but also their families. We offer comprehensive and personalized high-quality care in the area of diagnosis, treatment, research, training and awareness. We address the entire cognitive spectrum, from normality, to mild cognitive impairment and dementia. In ACE Foundation we integrate the clinical experience with the scientific rigor of basic, clinical and social research and participate in multiple national and international research projects.
The subject “From cognitive normality to dementias. Practical experience in clinical, research and translational medicine”, aims to:
- Acquire knowledge and clinical skills in the comprehensive care of cognitive pathology: its prevention, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment.
- Know the current challenges, the lines of research and the main advances implemented in a centre of world excellence.
The signature is optional, it consists of a total of 60 hours corresponding to 2 ECTS.
The student should have knowledge about neuroanatomy, medical psychology and neurology.
- Knowing the most prevalent cognitive disorders of adults. Learning the correct realization of the neurological clinical history and cognitive exploration.
- Knowing the diagnostic procedures and usefulness of the neuropsychological study.
- Identify diagnostic tools for early detection.
- Knowing how to determine the evolutionary stage of cognitive pathology.
- Learning the importance of the comprehensive approach in the diagnosis and management of patients by a multidisciplinary team.
- Knowing the therapeutic options and the evolution of the disease.
- Knowing the healthcare model that integrates clinical practice and research.
- Knowing the main lines of research and acquire knowledge in basic and clinical research.
The contents of the course are based on basic knowledge and clinical and research practice of attention to cognitive impairment, applied in daily practice in a specialized unit.
- To perform a complete history of cognitive pathology.
- To recognize the existence of cognitive impairment through physical examination and history.
- To know the natural history of dementias.
- To indicate and interpret the complementary tests to establish an adequate diagnosis, evolutionary stage and prognosis of the disease.
- To know the different procedures used in early detection and the criteria for referral to a specialized integral care unit.
- Pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of symptoms associated with cognitive pathology.
- To participate in the daily discussion of clinical cases of patients treated in the diagnostic unit.
- To know the operation of a clinical trial unit: selection process for candidates, information, informed consent, inclusion, follow-up and usual procedures.
- To participate in the daily work of the multidisciplinary team that integrates clinical practice and basic research: translational medicine.
- To know how a researcher designs, requests, executes and communicates the results of a research project.
- To raise awareness with the ethical problem raised by cognitive pathology at the health, family and social levels.