East Bay | California Alzheimer's Disease Center | UC Davis Health

A neurologist is a medical doctor who diagnoses, treats and manages disorders of the brain and nervous system.  During your visit to see one of our neurologists they will ask you questions about your medical history, family history, medication history, and current symptoms. This information is typically collected in collaboration with the patient and a family member or friend who knows the patient well. The visit will also include a neurological exam in which the doctor will briefly test cognition as well as balance, coordination, reflexes, strength, vision, hearing, speech, and sensation. Additional blood work, brain imaging or other kinds of tests may be ordered. After the evaluation is complete, the neurologist will provide information about Neuropsychological Assessment.

We provide comprehensive and culturally sensitive neuropsychological evaluations. The goal of a neuropsychological evaluation is to better understand how the brain is functioning. While a brain scan (like an MRI or CT scan) gives an idea of how a brain looks, a neuropsychological evaluation gives us an idea of how the brain works. This type of evaluation involves complete a variety of interactive tests to examine different aspects of your thinking, including attention, memory, processing speed, different aspects of language, visuoperceptual abilities and executive functions (reasoning, problem solving). Neuropsychological testing can help identify cognitive strengths and weakness, aid in diagnosis, and provide useful information that may help you to compensate for cognitive changes and reduce modifiable risk factors. These evaluations and recommendations are tailored specifically for each patient depending on their symptoms and needs.

Psychologists or Social Workers provide individual supportive therapy in the form of short-term counseling and education for families and patients. These sessions focus on care planning, life transitions, safety or other issues you identify.  We also direct families to local, community resources to support their needs. 

• Alzheimer’s Association
• The Good Life Program for Healthy Aging
  • The Good Life Program
  • La Buena Vida
• Brain Health Hub - Tools & Strategies to Improve Cognition
• Brain Wise – brain science for healthy living
• The Caregiver Action Network serves a broad spectrum of family caregivers and offers education and community support
• The Family Caregiver Alliance works with families caring for someone with an adult-onset brain impairment, regardless of the care recipient's age. They offer various forms of education, counseling, legal consultation, and respite.