Advanced Treatment and Management of Dementia

This module follows on from the Current Research in Dementia module, by extending students' knowledge on the key issues pertaining to current research in the management of dementia and advanced specialist topics in treatment and care. Taking this module is very much recommended for students who are considering a PhD and/or a research career in clinical research in dementia. All students will undertake the Current Research in Dementia module as a prerequisite. The course is taught over 7 half-day sessions, accompanied by Moodle online materials and relevant sessions in the MSc journal clubs.

Module Leaders

Dr Vasiliki Orgeta and Dr Natalie Marchant lead this module. Several other teachers from within the Division are also teaching in this module.

Dr Vasiliki Orgeta

Dr Vasiliki Orgeta is a research psychologist and a Senior Fellow of the Alzheimer's Society. She is interested in the development and evaluation of psychosocial interventions for people with dementia. Her more recent research has investigated effectiveness of pharmacological and psychological interventions for depression in people with dementia. She is the Principal Investigator of the IDEA study (IDEA: Developing an Intervention to prevent Depressive symptoms and promote well-being in EArly stage dementia), https://www.ucl.ac.uk/psychiatry/idea

She is also one of the Programme Directors for the Dementia: Causes, Treatments and Research (Mental Health) MSc, for which the Advanced Treatment and Management of Dementia is core (compulsory).

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/psychiatry/study-here/msc-dementia-mental-health/

Dr Jon Huntley

Module Contents

Research in the following areas of treatment and management of dementia will be covered:

Emerging topics in the prevention of dementia
Timely diagnosis and screening of dementia
Equity of services, and improving access to care
Key issues in Clinical Trials research in dementia and clinical outcomes
Advanced knowledge of neuropsychiatric symptoms Series A: Psychosis
Advanced knowledge of neuropsychiatric symptoms Series B: Depression
Detection and Management of Dementia with Lewy Bodies
Symptom management in end of life care: Pain management and end of life nutrition
Elder Abuse and Neglect
Personhood in dementia

Learning Outcomes

These are the intended learning outcomes for the module:

Students will be able to critically appraise research based on biological, psychological and social perspectives of dementia treatment and management.
Students will be able to explain how these perspectives can inform the treatment and management of dementia and motivate current research in the area.
Students will be able to suggest approaches for the prevention of dementia, improving diagnostic rates, and key issues around clinical trials of pharmacological and psychosocial interventions in dementia.
Students will be able to explain, appraise and suggest approaches to managing psychosis and depression in dementia.
Students will be able to identify key issues in the diagnosis and management of dementia with Lewy bodies
Students will be able to suggest approaches to improving treatment and management of dementia in the areas of equity of care, elder abuse, management of pain and end of life nutrition.
Students will be able to identify key questions motivating current research on advanced specialist topics in the management of dementia and emerging perspectives on personhood in dementia.