DEMOGRAPHIC AND CLINICAL-FEATURES OF PATIENTS ATTENDING A MEMORY CLINIC

Basic demographic and clinical features of the first 418 patients asse ssed at the Maudsley Memory Clinic are reported. Alzheimer's disease w as the most frequent diagnosis (57%), followed by a group of patients complaining of memory problems but with no obvious neuropsychiatric di agnosis (24%). The latter were more likely to be younger unmarried sel f-referred women living alone and with a frequent family history of de mentia. The routine use of extensive laboratory investigations in memo ry clinics is not recommended, considering the meagre number of subjec ts suffering from reversible conditions identified in our clinic. The Maudsley Memory Clinic has proved to be a popular centre for the asses sment and diagnosis of patients with memory complaints and has provide d a useful source of subjects for research into memory-associated diso rders. The role of memory clinics in the new financial climate in the National Health Service remains to be determined.