TUH Institute of Memory & Cognition (TIMC)

What we do

Our team can be contacted on the relevant numbers below (9am to 5pm). All GP referrals should be sent electronically to the Central referrals office, Tallaght University Hospital, via Healthlink, or by post to the relevant clinic secretary.

Memory Clinic Secretary (Prof Kennelly/ Dr Fallon):
Derek Wilde
Ph: (01) 414 2498
Email: Derek.Wilde@tuh.ie

Cognitive  Clinic Secretary (Dr O’Dowd/ Dr O’Connor)
Lorraine Keenan
Ph: (01) 414 2090

Contact Details

National Intellectual Disability Memory Clinic Secretary (Prof Kennelly): Emma Donnelly
Ph: (01) 414 4994
Email: emma.donnelly@tuh.ie

Cognitive Clinical Trials Unit Manager: Ruth Ennis
Ph: (01) 414 3213
Email: ruth.ennis@tuh.ie

Regional Specialist Memory Clinical Service (RSMC)

The RSMC is an interdisciplinary geriatric medicine/ neurology clinical service.

This clinic was established in 2014 to meet the growing needs of the TUH regional catchment population for specialist memory assessment, diagnosis, and treatment services.

The dedicated multidisciplinary team brings together expertise in geriatric medicine and neurology: physicians, nursing, clinical neuropsychologists, speech & language therapists, nutritionists, social work, physiotherapists and occupational therapists who work collaboratively to deliver quality care to all patients attending the service.

How do I get a referral?

People need a referral from their doctor to attend the clinic. Patients can be referred by their general practitioners, community psychiatry, or by other secondary care hospital specialists in the Leinster region.

How long does an appointment take?

This depends on whether this is the first time we’re seeing you or if it’s a return visit. First visits to the clinic usually take 60-90 minutes

What to bring to your appointment?

• Any glasses you wear (especially reading glasses)
• Your hearing aid
• A full list of your current medicines
• Details of your medical history
• A relative or friend for support

Why should I bring a relative/ friend?

It is helpful to bring someone to your appointment who knows you well. This gives you some support and the medical team to ask them how they feel you are managing from their perspective. Due to the nature of memory difficulties it is often useful to have someone who can help with remembering what we discuss in clinic.

What happens at a clinic?

Patients normally undergo an assessment, accompanied by a friend or relative, meeting with the clinical nurse specialist who documents the nature and progression of symptoms, and completes a detailed standard neuropsychological battery of tests to identify issues of mood, behaviour, and different aspects of memory. Usually we do some blood tests and refer you for brain imaging if you haven’t had a recent scan.

Brain imaging with either MRI or CT scan, plus other investigations as indicated (e.g. lumbar puncture, advanced imaging) are then discussed along with the memory assessment in a meeting by the wider team, before an appointment is made and a diagnosis is given. Our aim is for this process to take no longer than three months from the time we receive the referral.

What happens after clinic?

The staff in the clinic will write to the person who referred you to the clinic (and your GP if this is different). We focus on the integration of care and multidisciplinary approach and have created a comprehensive and responsive post diagnostic and brain health pathways, to support patients throughout the entire journey from referral time. We also host a family support course to support people living with dementia and their families.

RSMC Clinical Services Timetable:

Charlie O’Toole Unit in TUH (Mon-Fri)
Simms Building Neurology OPD, TUH Monday 8:30am-1:30pm
Charlie O’Toole Unit, TUH on Wednesday morning 10am-12:30pm (Prof Kennelly/ Dr Fallon)
Russell Building, Tallaght on Wednesday afternoons 1:30pm-5pm (Prof Kennelly/ Dr Fallon)
Simms Building Neurology OPD, TUH Thursday afternoons 2pm-5pm
OPD Suite 3 & 4 on Friday afternoons 1:30pm-5pm (Prof Kennelly/ Dr Fallon

Meet the team

Consultant Leads
Professor Seán Kennelly (Geriatric Medicine)
Dr Seán O’Dowd (Neurology)
Dr Aoife Fallon (Geriatric Medicine)
Dr Antoinette O’Connor (Neurology)
Advanced Nurse Practitioner Cathy McHale (Geriatric Medicine)
Graham Knight (Geriatric Medicine)
Emmet Kelly (Neurology)

Clinic Administrators
Derek Wilde 01-414 2498
Loredana Porumb
Neurology Clinic Admin –  Lorraine Keenan -01-414 2090

Occupational Therapists
Fiona Tobin
Emma Nolan

Speech & Language Therapists
Lisa Sheridan
Megan Ryan

Neuropsychologist
Garret McDermott

Physiotherapist
Evelyn Kimmage

Social Worker
Michael Downey

Dietitian
Eimear Mullan

Patient Information Leaflets

National Intellectual Disability Memory Service

Dementia is more common in people living with an intellectual disability than the general population, especially those with Down Syndrome (due to an increased genetic risk). Symptoms associated with dementia often emerge at a younger age in this population.

Diagnosing dementia in people with an intellectual disability is complex because the person may already have difficulties in areas such as memory, language, and ability to attend independently to self-care needs at baseline. Therefore a specialist approach to the assessment, diagnosis, and care for people with intellectual disability and memory symptoms is necessary.

The National Intellectual Disability Memory Service (NIDMS), in TUH was established in 2020 and is committed to improving the timely detection and accurate diagnosis of the cause of dementia in people with an intellectual disability (ID) who have complex and often unmet needs.

The NIDMS offers:

• Investigation of memory complaints in people with intellectual disability
• Baseline cognitive screening for people with Down syndrome over the age of 35 years
• Brain Health Check : Brain Health Plan targeting modifiable risk factors
• Post diagnostic supports, including educational programming on living well with dementia;
• Delivery of accessible, easy-read information and programming on how to maintain and improve brain health;
• Educational and training opportunities for people with an  intellectual disability, staff and family carers
• Access to and enrolment in research studies including Trial ready Cohorts – Down syndrome.

The NIDMS multi-disciplinary team of Dementia Specialists is led by Prof Seán Kennelly, Clinical Director and Prof Mary McCarron, with a multidisciplinary team including: nursing,  neuropsychology, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy.

How do I get a referral?

People need a referral from their doctor or ID service psychologist to attend the clinic. Patients can be referred by their general practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists, or by other secondary care hospital specialistss

Clinical Administrator:  Ms Emma Donnelly 01- 414 4994
emma.donnelly@tuh.ie

All referrals should be addressed to Prof Seán Kennelly, National Intellectual Disability Memory Service, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin D24 NR04.

How long does an appointment take?

This depends on whether this is the first time we’re seeing you or if it is a return visit. First visits to the clinic usually take 60-90 minutes.

What to bring to your appointment?

• Any glasses you wear (especially reading glasses)
• Your hearing aid
• A full list of your current medicines
• Details of your medical history
• A relative or friend for support

 Why Should I bring a relative/ friend/ carer?

It is helpful to bring someone to your appointment who knows you well. This gives you some support and the medical team to ask them how they feel you are managing from their perspective. Due to the nature of memory difficulties it is often useful to have someone who can help with remembering what we discuss in clinic.

What will happen during the appointment?

We will ask questions about your memory and how you are managing your day to day activities. We will want to see how this might have changed recently as result of memory difficulties. We will do some memory tests. With your permission we will do some blood tests, physical health assessment, and arrange for a brain scan.

These results are then discussed in a meeting by the wider specialist memory team, before another appointment is made and a diagnosis is given to you. Our aim is for this process to take no longer than three months from the time we receive the referral.

What happens after clinic?

The staff in the clinic will write to the person who referred you to the clinic (and your GP if this is different). We focus on the integration of care and multidisciplinary approach and have created a comprehensive and responsive post diagnostic and brain health pathways, to support patients throughout the entire journey from referral time. With your permission we will link with your family and carers within your ID service.

The ID Memory Clinic is located on the 7^th floor in the Russell Building, Tallaght Monday-Friday (8am-5pm

Meet the team

Consultant Lead
Professor Seán Kennelly (Geriatric Medicine)

Advanced Nurse Practitioners
Evelyn Reilly
Martina Leigh
Sharon McKenna
Claire Henderson

Occupational Therapist
Fiona Tobin

Neuropsychologist
Garret McDermott

Speech & Language Therapist
Lisa Sheridan

Clinical Trials Unit

Upcoming Studies

ATRI TRC-DS Study

The aim of Trial-Ready Cohort- Down Syndrome (TRC-DS) is to enrol non-demented adults between the ages of 25-55 with Down syndrome (DS) into a trial ready cohort (TRC). Participants enrolled in this study will undergo longitudinal cognitive and clinical assessment, imaging, and genetic and biomarker testing.

Researchers will then analyse the relationships between AD biomarkers and these measures to design Alzheimer’s disease prevention trials ideally suited for people with DS.

Not yet recruiting. Recruitment to begin Q2 2025

Current Studies

STRIDES study

This study will explore the use of gait speed as both a vital sign and digital clinical biomarker in a diverse population of older adults. This research will focus on gait speed variability and its associated health implications, including cognitive decline, sarcopenia, frailty, and an increased risk of falls. One part of this study will examine the benefits of targeted exercise interventions on improving gait speed.

Currently open for recruitment

Patients who can participate

• Those aged 65 years, or older

• Able to walk independently or with assistive devices

Study duration

• Single visit lasting up to 90 minutes

or

• Two visits lasting up to 90 minutes, for those participants engaged in a longitudinal exercise programme

What does involvement entail?

• Brief medical review including past medical history, medications and a history of falls
• Cognitive performance tests
• Gait speed measurements
• Sarcopenia assessments
• Frailty evaluation

 Further information on the procedures, tests and visits can be obtained from the study team

Recent Studies

EVOKE/EVOKE+ study

A phase III research study investigating the superiority of oral semaglutide vs placebo on the change in cognition and function, in people with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease.

Active, recruitment closed

ENBIND study

Digital Gait and Speech, and Novel Biomarkers as Indicators of Cognitive Decline in Midlife Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Waves 1 and 2 completed

Completed Studies

20-AVP-786-307 study

Phase III study to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of AVP-786 for the treatment of agitation in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type.

Study Completed

VINCI-AD study

Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation therapy for patients with mild cognitive impairment. This therapy is looking to investigate the potential role for transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation for cognitive enhancement in Alzheimer’s disease.

GAS-Cog (Canary) study

Analysis of gait and speech characteristics as objective measures of cognitive performance in healthy aging, mild cognitive impairment, and early-stage dementia. The aim of this study is to explore the application of artificial intelligence-based analysis of gait and speech as a digital marker of cognitive decline.

EU201 study

Phase II sponsored study investigating the effectiveness and safety of the novel medicine T817MA on brain levels of tau protein, in parallel with changes in imaging, electroencephalogram, and cognition, in patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease.

Sense-Cog Study

A collaboration with St James’s hospital, this study looked to investigate whether visual and hearing interventions had a positive effect on Cognition in patients with mild to moderate AD.

EPOCH study

Our first AD clinical trial (EPOCH study) began in Aug 2016 and it continued until Feb 2018. Phase III international industry-sponsored study investigating the effect of a novel investigational medicine on brain levels of amyloid protein, in parallel with changes in imaging and cognition, in people with mild cognitive impairment due to AD

Since the Unit started in 2016 the Cognitive Clinical Trials Unit (CCTU) in TUH has become one of Irelands leading dementia clinical trials unit participating in key international clinical trials for novel treatments.

For the first time Irish patients were recruited in a large global drug trial for prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. This was an important milestone for our hospital, and for Ireland, as it was the first time that Irish patients with memory difficulties were given the opportunity to trial medication that could potentially delay or halt progression of their symptoms.

Our current portfolio of studies reflects the mission of the CCTU: “To develop interventions that enable prevention, better detection, cure, and enhance care for people living with dementia”. This mission is realised with the support of colleagues in both TUH and TCD, partner sites around Ireland, and international and industry collaborators. The CCTU is a member of the Dementia Trials Ireland network of clinical trials sites, and Professor Kennelly is co-lead of the DTI network.

Meet the team

The CCTU is a multi-disciplinary research team supported by Professor Seán Kennelly with colleagues from the departments of geriatric medicine and neurology in TUH.

Ruth Ennis is the Dementia Research & Trials Project
Manager  ruth.ennis@tuh.ie
Jasmine Joseph is our Research Nurse  jasmine.joseph@tuh.ie
The research team also includes specialist physicians, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, psychologists, and occupational therapists.

Contact Dementia Research Office: +353 1 414 3213

Brain Health Clinic

Many of the risk factors that contribute to the development of cognitive decline or dementia are potentially reversible.

The brain health clinic in TUH was Ireland’s first clinic to take a targeted approach to help people with subjective/ mild memory difficulties or mood disorders address these risk factors.

People are referred to this clinic after review and formal diagnosis in the Regional Specialist Memory Clinical Service.

Within this clinic people are assessed at intervals over four and a half years to monitor for any cognitive changes and to develop a “Personal Prevention Plan” to address their main risk factors for developing dementia.

Amongst others these include assessments of:

• Physical activity levels
• Diet - Hearing/ vision
• Sleep
• Cardiovascular risks
• Mood
• Social networks
• Cognitive Stimulation

Meet the team

Graham Knight – Advanced Nurse Practitioner
Email: Derek.Wilde@tuh.ie  / Loredana.Porumb@tuh.ie
Phone: 01-414 2498