Clinical Activities
With our team of clinicians, we evaluate patients with a range of neurodegenerative and other geriatric cognitive disorders.
Neurologists: Dr. Dean Foti, Dr. Haakon Nygaard and Dr. Robin Hsiung
Geriatricians: Dr. Philip Lee
Geriatric Psychiatrist: Dr. Margo Genge
The Clinic for Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders is the main tertiary care referral center in B.C. for dementia assessment and management. New referrals are evaluated by a range of multidisciplinary assessments including genetic counseling, social work, neuropsychology, geriatrics, geriatric psychiatry and neurology each of which make seminal contributions to the multifaceted clinical care needed for dementia patients and their families.
The clinic is also recognized as one of the most accomplished specialty clinics and clinical dementia research centers in Canada.
Research Activities
Drs. Hsiung and Lee are working closely with the team of researchers (Drs. McClure & Chappell) in University of Victoria on the Alzheimer Drug Therapeutic Initiative (ADTI) program, which provides coverage of cholinesterase inhibitors to AD patients, to examine the effectiveness of the drugs in our population.
Dr. Mackenzie (Neuropathology) and Dr. Hsiung, together with collaborators from the Mayo Clinic and UCSF, have identified a new mutation in a novel gene C9ORF72 responsible for frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
Newer disease-modifying agents such as gamma secretase inhibitors that decrease amyloid production are also being investigated in prodromal AD. We are also a centre for the Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), a multi-million project co-funded by the NIH and CIHR to develop early biomarkers for AD.
Dr. Hsiung has also established a HIV-cognitive disorder clinic with the HIV team at St. Paul’s Hospital to examine the clinical and biological characteristics of HIV patients who are medically stable on highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) but continue to develop progressive cognitive impairment.
Teaching Activities
Our group continues to be active in providing teaching to trainees of multiple disciplines from undergraduate to post-doctoral levels.
Community Services
We held a highly successful public forum every year (Alzheimer Awareness Month) to update our clinic patients and families on the current research on dementia. Our faculty has frequently provided advices and expert comments to the media (i.e. Globe and Mail, Vancouver Sun, Global News, and radio shows) regarding the newest discoveries in AD and dementia.
Members
- Dr. Foti
- Dr. Hsiung
- Dr. Nygaard
Research Group
- Dr. Hayden
- Dr. Mackenzie
Affiliated Non-Divisional Members
- Dr. Genge
- Dr. Lee