Cognitive Impairment
Definition
Cognitive impairment is a condition characterized by a decline in cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, language, and problem-solving skills. It can result from various causes, including aging, brain injury, neurological disorders, or underlying medical conditions.
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Internal Medicine
Covering every aspect of health care for adults, Internal Medicine is the largest department in the Yale School of Medicine, and the largest clinical service at Yale New Haven Hospital. We provide comprehensive and specialized services in all areas in a variety of outpatient settings as well as the Veterans Affairs (VA) Connecticut Health Care System campus in West Haven. Our culture of collaboration and research gives patients access to expert opinions from nearly 1,000 doctors, as well as opportunities to get tomorrow’s health care today through more than 100 clinical trials. Most importantly, we attend to our diverse community of patients with compassionate, thorough care. Specialized care is offered in the following areas: Allergy & clinical immunology Cardiovascular medicine Digestive diseases Endocrinology General internal medicine Geriatrics Hematology Infectious diseases Medical oncology Occupational health & environmental medicine Nephrology Pulmonology, critical care & sleep medicine Rheumatology International reputation for work in understanding function, independence, and quality of life in older persons Key research breakthroughs of the past decade that include the development of a protective Lyme bacillus disease vaccine, exploration of the underlying causes of allergic disease, and the discovery of novel inherited immunological diseases Largest interventional cardiology program in Connecticut Major referral center for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as other metabolic conditions Nationally ranked program in kidney diseases and the largest kidney transplant program in New England, with multidisciplinary care clinics One of the largest peripheral vascular programs in the country, with leadership and participation in multiple new percutaneous device trials Once of only a few motility centers in Connecticut to provide all motility procedures and services Unique medical forensic exams for individuals with claims of torture who are seeking asylum in the U.S.Movement Disorders
Movement disorders can be caused by diminished or slowed voluntary movements (hypokinetic) or increased involuntary movements (hyperkinetic).Parkinson’s disease is the most common of these hypokinetic degenerative disorders, but we also treat progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), multiple system atrophy (MSA) and corticobasal ganglionic degeneration. Our expertise in hyperkinetic disorders includes Huntington’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, essential tremor, and dystonia. We diagnose and treat all movement disorders, whether they are caused by primary nervous system dysfunction or by strokes or medications. Our team has expertise in tremor disorders, primary and secondary ataxias, gait disorders, restless legs syndrome, and stiff-person syndrome.Neuromuscular Medicine
We are dedicated to delivering expert primary and referral services for all disorders of the peripheral nerves and muscles. Our program is supported by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). As a tertiary referral site for complex neuromuscular conditions, we serve as consultants to general neurologists, internists, and many other specialists. We specialize in: ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease) Myasthenia Gravis Myopathy (including polymyositis, dermatomyositis, inclusion body myositis) Neuropathy (CIDP, CMT and other inherited neuropathies, Guillain-Barré, diabetic neuropathy) Muscular Dystrophy (including FSH, Duchene, Becker, Limb-Girdle, Myotonic, Oculopharyngeal) Stiff-Person Syndrome and related disorders Our neurologists have advanced training in neuromuscular disease and electromyography (assessing electrical activity in muscle). They have specialized knowledge in the science, clinical evaluation, or clinical management of disorders that affect cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems, muscles, and the junction between them. They offer greater expertise in the origin, mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment of these disorders than general neurologists. Our electromyographers have expertise in assessing electrical activity in muscle and nerve conduction studies. We are one of the few programs in the Northeast with several electromyographers, who are expert in a specialized technique called single fiber EMG to test for myasthenia gravis. Our neuromuscular group works together as a team that includes medical assistants, clinical nurse coordinators, an MDA coordinator, resident staff, fellows, and attending physicians. Please bring the following items: A copy of your medical records pertaining to your condition, which should include MRIs, nerve conduction studies, and other testing and/or imaging available A current list of all medications and any allergies to medications Name and address of your primary care physician and any other specialists Your first visit will entail a comprehensive evaluation, and you will be asked for a detailed history of your condition. We will complete a thorough neurological examination, after which we will develop a plan of care. We will inform you if additional testing is needed, make recommendations regarding adjustments to current treatment regimens, or refer you to other physicians or consultants. The term EMG is often used to refer to both electromyography and nerve conduction studies. Electromyography is the technique of assessing the health of muscles. Nerve conduction studies assess the health of nerves. Together these techniques are used to investigate and diagnose the entire spectrum of neuromuscular disorders. Our electomyographers use the latest EMG equipment to perform all available specialized EMG techniques, including Quantitative EMG, Blink Reflex, Single Fiber EMG, and others. We use a specialized type of nerve conduction study, called the Jolly