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Estrogen & Memory

NY Memory Services
65 East 76th Street
New York, NY 10021

Tel: (212) 517 6881
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Research at Our Center


Staff at the center have led and participated in research studies related to memory disorders and other neurologic and psychiatric conditions. Our research has been presented both at national and international meetings and has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals.

OUR RESEARCH

Research on memory loss in menopause: In addition to presenting papers at both the 2000 and 2001 meetings of the North American Menopause Society, Dr. Devi was the principal investigator in a study on treating memory loss in menopause. 
 
Research on genetics of memory disorders: Children and siblings of patients with Alzheimer’s, in addition to dealing with the trauma of this fact, may also be concerned about risk for themselves. The research in this area helps with genetic counseling for persons at risk for developing illnesses like Alzheimer’s. Institution of preventive treatments in high risk persons would be significant. Such preventive treatment may be especially effective in women.
 
Women and memory: Women may be at higher risk to develop memory disorders.
 
Diagnosis of a memory disorder & accuracy of diagnosis: Making the correct diagnosis of memory problems is crucial in terms of beginning treatment and determining prognosis.
 
History of Alzheimer’s disease: The past gives us clues to the future and a short biography of Dr. Alois Alzheimer gives hope for the future.
 
The HIV virus, the brain and mind: The virus has a preference for the brain & therefore causes brain illness.
 
Alcoholism and the brain: The influence of alcoholism on brain activity.

 
WOMEN AND MEMORY

Dr. Devi has done a significant amount of research on the vulnerability of women to memory disorders, the causes and treatments available. Here are some of the published research papers.
 
Devi G
, Hahn K, Massimi S, Zhivotovskaya, E.  The prevalence of memory complaints in a community of peri-menopausal women.  J Gender Specific Medicine (In Press)
 
Devi G
, Hahn K. Screening for cognitive and depressive symptoms among peri- and post-menopausal women. Presented at the North American Menopause Society Annual Meeting October 2001, New Orleans LA.
 
Devi G
, Marrero C. The effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation for memory and cognitive loss associated with menopause. Presented at the North American Menopause Society Annual Meeting September 2000, Orlando, FL.
 
Devi G.
Estrogen in Alzheimer’s Disease. Primary Psychiatry 1997; 4(10):58-63.
 
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GENETIC STUDIES

This research helps us counsel relatives of patients on their risk for memory disorders. Our genetic counseling program is geared towards the children and relatives of patients with Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative dementing illnesses. We discuss the risks of inheriting the illness given the unique factors in the patient, such as age at onset of illness, kind of symptoms, family history of other illness and personal medical history.
 
Often, given information that illnesses such as Alzheimer's are heritable, children may fear developing the illness themselves. In fact, the vast majority of cases of Alzheimer's are not inherited. Children of patients may be at increased risk in some instances and risk may not be much higher than children of unaffected parents in others.
 
This level of informed discussion is useful to family members to help address their unspoken (and, in may cases, unfounded) fears, and to help in planning for the future. Additionally, in individuals at higher risk for developing the illness, prevention strategies will be discussed.
 
Devi G
, Williamson J, Ottman R et al.  Early onset Alzheimer’s disease and familial co-aggregation with psychiatric disorders.  J. Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci.Winter 2004; 16(1): 57-62.
 
Devi G,
Ottman R, Tang MX et al. Familial aggregation of Alzheimer’s Disease among Caucasians, African Americans and Caribbean Hispanics in Northern Manhattan. Archives of Neurology 2000;57;72-77.
 
Devi G,
Ottman R, Tang MX, et al. Influence of the APOE genotype on familial aggregation of Alzheimer’s disease among Caucasians, African Americans and Caribbean Hispanics in Northern Manhattan. Neurology 1999;53;789-784.
 
Devi G
, Marder K, Schofield PW et al. Validity of family history for the diagnosis of dementia among siblings of patients with late onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Genetic Epidemiology 1998; 15:215-223.
 
Massoud F, Devi G, Goldman J, et al. Accuracy of clinico-pathologic diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in clinic & community based patients (abstract). Journal of Neuropsychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences 1998;11:139. Presented at the annual meeting of the American Neuropsychiatric Association in February 1999.
 
Schofield P, Marder K, Dooneief G, Bell K, Chun M, Ramachandran G et al. Subjective memory complaints predict decline in memory and cognition at 1 year follow-up in individuals with cognitive impairment (abstract). Neurology 1996;46(suppl):434. Presented at the American Neurologic Association’s annual meeting in April, 1996.
 
Ramachandran G
, Marder K, Tang M, et al. The Apolipoprotien E genotype and psychiatric manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease. Neurology 1996;47:256-259.
 
Devi G
, Ottman R, Tang M, et al. Familial aggregation of Alzheimer’s disease and the influence of the APOE genotype among Caucasians, African Americans and Caribbean Hispanics in Northern Manhattan (abstract). Annals of Neurology 1998;44:396. Presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting in October, 1998 in Montreal.
 
Devi G
, Fotiou A, Gonzalez A, et al. Clinical features of very early onset (ages 27-35) familial Alzheimer’s disease (abstract). Journal of Neuropsychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences 1998;11:139. Presented at the annual meeting of the American Neuropsychiatric Association in February, 1999.
 
Devi G
, Fotiou A, Jyrinji D, et al. Novel presenelin 1 mutations associated with early onset dementia in a family with both early-onset and late-onset Alzheimer Disease. Archives of Neurology 2000;57:1454-1457.
 
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DIAGNOSIS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

These studies help us in determining how accurate physicians are in making a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. Dr. Devi found in her research that when expert guidelines are followed, clinical diagnosis of illnesses like Alzheimer's disease may be made with over a 95% accuracy rate.
 
Devi G.  Motor Disorders in Dementia Syndromes. Chapter in Textbook of Motor Disorders (2nd Edition). David S. Younger, Ed. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, NY (In Press)
 
Devi G
, Silver J. Approaches to memory loss in neuropsychiatric disorders. Seminars in Clinical Neuropsychiatry. 2000;5:259-265.
 
Massoud F, Devi G, Stern Y, et al. A clinicopathological comparison of community-based and clinic-based cohorts of patients with dementia. Archives of Neurology 1999;56:1368-1373.
 
Massoud F, Devi G, Moroney J, et al. The role of routine laboratory studies and neuroimaging in the diagnosis of dementia: a clinicopathological study (abstract). Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 1999. Presented at the annual meeting of the American Geriatric Society.
 
Massoud F, Devi G, Goldman J, et al. Accuracy of clinico-pathologic diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in clinic & community based patients (abstract). Journal of Neuropsychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences 1998;11:139. Presented at the annual meeting of the American Neuropsychiatric Association in February 1999.
 
Schofield P, Marder K, Dooneief G, Bell K, Chun M, Ramachandran G et al. Subjective memory complaints predict decline in memory and cognition at 1 year follow-up in individuals with cognitive impairment (abstract). Neurology 1996;46(suppl):434. Presented at the American Neurologic Association’s annual meeting in April, 1996.
 
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HISTORY OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

This research delved into the life of Alois Alzheimer, after whom the dementia was named. A study of the past often provides insights for future directions.
 
Devi G
, Quitschke W. Alois Alzheimer: His life and times. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders Fall, 1999.
 
Devi G
, Loreck R. Alois Alzheimer: Influential Alienist (abstract). Neurology 1997;48:263. This research on Alois Alzheimer was presented at the American Neurologic Association’s annual meeting in April, 1997.
 
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NEUROLOGIC ILLNESS RELATED TO THE HIV VIRUS 

Because the HIV virus preferentially targets the brain, patients are more prone to brain illness. In the following studies, Dr. Devi and colleagues investigate the harmful effects of drugs in HIV patients, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of HIV dementia.
 
Ramachandran G
, Glickman L, Levenson J, Rao C. The incidence of extrapyramidal syndromes in hospitalized patients with AIDS and a comparison group. Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 1997;9:579-583.
 
Dana Consortium
on the therapy of HIV dementia and related cognitive disorders. Safety and tolerability of the antioxidant OPC14117 in HIV-associated cognitive impairment. Neurology 1997;49:142-146.
 
Dana Consortium
on the therapy of HIV dementia and related cognitive disorders. Clinical confirmation of the American Academy of Neurology Algorithm for HIV-1 associated cognitive/motor disorder. Neurology 1996;47:1247-53.
 
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ALCOHOLISM AND THE BRAIN

Devi G. Management of drug and alcohol withdrawal. N Engl J Med. 2003 Jul 24;349(4):405-7.
 
Ramachandran G
, Porjesz B, Begleiter H, Litke A.  Cognitive evoked potentials in young males at high risk for alcoholism.  Alcohol Clin Exp Res 1996;20(1):9-15.
  
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Please note that all material contained herein is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice or instruction. Consult your health care professional for advice relating to a medical problem or condition. Please also read the disclaimer section.

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