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The Memory Disorders Program is committed to improving the quality of life for all individuals with ADRD by translating research into clinical care.

New diagnostic guidelines highlight Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) as a possible early stage of Alzheimer’s disease. MCI is a growing focus of our research, clinical and educational outreach activities.  

The program is also a statewide and southeast US regional referral center for non‐Alzheimer’s dementias, such as Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal degeneration, reflecting another focus of collaborative research and clinical activities.  

The overarching aim of our program is to help provide the best possible care to all individuals and families dealing with ADRD in North Carolina, and beyond. 

Program Overview

The UNC Memory Disorders Program was launched in 2003 to promote clinical care, education, and research into Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (ADRD). There are currently over 150,000 individuals in North Carolina affected by ADRD, and that number will double over the next couple of decades. The Memory Disorders Clinic serves as the program hub, providing state‐of‐the‐art diagnostic evaluations and treatment, a venue for training students and physicians, and a platform for multidisciplinary research. 

Mission Statement

Expand access to and provide optimal care for individuals and families living with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, and conduct research to advance diagnostic testing, therapeutic interventions, and preventative approaches and risk reduction.

Program Description

In accordance to its mission, the UNC Memory Disorders Program encompasses three interdisciplinary areas: 

  1. Clinical evaluation and comprehensive management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, including mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia/progressive aphasia; 
  2. To improve diagnosis and treatment, a research arm including investigator-initiated collaborative research projects in functional and structural brain imaging, biomedical informatics, and experimental therapeutic clinical trials in Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia, among others; and 
  3. Community educational outreach and physician training programs as part of the Carolina Alzheimer’s Network in conjunction with Alzheimer’s North Carolina.