Specialty Services
In addition to the Memory Clinic, the Memory and Aging Center provides a number of specialty services to help care for patients and families.

Services

Autoimmune Encephalopathy Clinic

The UCSF Autoimmune Encephalopathy/Encephalitis Clinic specializes in the evaluation and care of patients who are experiencing problems with cognition (e.g., thinking, memory), movement, and/or incoordination possibly due to brain inflammation or rapidly progressive dementia. Our particular focus is on encephalitis syndromes associated with specific antibodies that target brain cells. Such syndromes include reactions against brain cells, brain cellular channels and paraneoplastic syndromes that can result from cancer cells in the body. Our clinicians also evaluate patients with suspected thyroid-associated cognitive difficulty (“Hashimoto’s Encephalitis”) and cognitive trouble associated with systemic inflammatory or rheumatologic diseases.

The clinic offers a multidisciplinary approach with attending neurologists Dr. Michael Geschwind, who is an expert in behavioral neurology, and Drs. Prashanth Ramachandran and Jeffrey Gelfand, who are experts in neuroimmunology from the UCSF Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroinflammation Center, as well as neuropsychologists (who measure cognitive abilities), experienced and caring social workers and nurses, as well as clinic assistants who coordinate laboratory testing. If appropriate, recommendations and possibly implementation of immunosuppressive treatment can be provided. The clinic is committed to the timely evaluation of people with acute syndromes, as well as following up after a hospital discharge and long-term management of these disorders. When appropriate, the clinic also collaborates closely with research efforts advancing precision medicine diagnostics in encephalitis and autoimmune dementia and may offer research opportunities to patients.

Cognitive & Movement Disorder

The UCSF Neurogenetics Cognitive & Movement Disorder Clinic seeks to serve the needs of adult patients with known neurogenetic conditions, as well as patients with neurological conditions of suspected, but unconfirmed, genetic or familial etiology. Examples of conditions that are evaluated in this clinic include adult genetic metabolic disorders, ataxias, mitochondrial disorders, leukoencephalopathies, Huntington’s disease and atypical parkinsonian disorders. Although the clinic focuses on adults, pediatric cases are considered. Our neurologists include Drs. Michael Geschwind and Alexandra Nelson. Medical records can be sent by mail or fax to the numbers below. Upon review, patients will be contacted regarding an appointment.

For more information on making an appointment, please see the Memory and Aging Center Clinic.

Huntington’s Disease & Ataxia Clinic

The UCSF Memory and Aging Center Huntington’s Disease and Ataxia Clinic provides care to patients and families experiencing and at risk for Huntington’s disease and spinocerebellar ataxia. Our interdisciplinary team works with patients and caregivers to improve their lives by creating comprehensive treatment plans. We understand that the challenges of living with Huntington’s disease (HD) or ataxia can extend beyond the signs and symptoms of the disease, and we work to provide integrated care to our families with these diseases.

HD and Ataxia Clinic Services

  • Genetic counseling & testing
  • Symptom management & drug therapy
  • Support groups & psychiatric care
  • Physical therapy consultation
  • Long-term care planning
  • Palliative care support

The UCSF MAC is an active member of the Huntington Study Group (HSG) as well as the Clinical Research Consortium for Spinocerebellar Ataxias. We are involved in several HD observational and interventional research studies as well as genetic and natural history studies on ataxia. We are currently recruiting patients with HD and their family members, as well as patients with ataxia for various research projects.

Our experience and expertise have led the UCSF MAC HD Clinic to be recognized as a Huntington’s Disease Society of America Center of Excellence (HDSA COE).

For more information, please call 415.353.2057. For a physician referral, please see the Make a Referral page.

Over-60 HIV Service

Advances in HIV anti-retroviral therapies in recent years have allowed for a newly emerging HIV+ population that is aging well into and beyond their 50s and 60s. The Over-60 HIV Service serves patients over the age of 60 with the characteristics of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND).

For more information, please call 415.353.2057. For a physician referral, please see the Make a Referral page.

Over-80 Service

The staff members of the UCSF Over-80 Clinic seek to address the complex dementia care issues commonly seen when caring for the oldest old. This care often requires an in-depth understanding of co-existing non-dementia medical illnesses, medication interactions, and the integrated living environment encountered in the care of elders. In contrast to the clinical priorities for younger patients with cognitive decline, diagnosis is often only a small factor in maximizing outcomes. In addition, we focus on maximizing the quality of life for each individual by evaluating co-existing illnesses, potential drug side effects and interactions, and the inter-woven environment frequently encountered by elders. This approach is facilitated by specialist training and expertise in geriatric medicine and an integrative approach to patient management. Medical records can be sent by mail or fax to the numbers below. Upon review, patients will be contacted regarding an appointment.

For more information on making an appointment, please see the Memory and Aging Center Clinic.