[Memory clinics: long-term follow-up]

Follow-up of patients in memory units raises problems of structure, team, diseases, evaluation and organization. Structures could be within the hospital, for early diagnosis, or outside hospital for prevention. The medical team is organized around the neurologist, must integrate different medical specialists (neurologist, psychiatrist, geriatrician) and be composed minimally of a clinician and a psychologist. Diseases range from memory complaint to very serious diseases such as Alzheimer's, vascular or post-traumatic dementia. Therapy includes cognitive stimulation and drug clinical trials. Evaluation requires medico-psycho-social analysis of the patient and his/her family. Memory consulting units could be integrated in a caring network organised in a modular fashion or like a geriatric hospital.