2026 Annual Meeting | C39 - Cognitive Decline in Neurodiverse Populations: Diagnostic and Management Techniques

Date Saturday 04/18/26

Time 02:30 PM - 04:30 PM CDT Add To Calendar

Session Format This program will be presented both in-person and online

On Demand This program will be available in the meeting's On Demand product.

Event Type Seminar

Director(s) Jessica Sanders, MD

Topic(s) General Neurology

Learning Objectives Participants should be able to identify early signs of cognitive and functional decline in adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) and describe how these differ from established baseline developmental profiles; apply appropriate screening and assessment tools—including informant-based and adaptive behavior measures to evaluate cognitive change in neurodiverse adults, including minimally verbal individuals using a structured, person-centered diagnostic approach; differentiate cognitive decline from reversible medical, psychiatric, sensory, and environmental contributors by analyzing behavioral patterns, caregiver reports, and clinical findings; and explain the role of emerging Alzheimer's biomarkers and Down syndrome, including specific clinical trial findings, and illustrate how these tools support diagnostic decision-making.

CME Available 2.00 CME credits

Core Competencies Patient Care & Procedural Skills, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Medical Knowledge, Practice-based Learning and Improvement

Program Level Intermediate

Recommended Audience Fellow, Resident, General Neurologist, Specialist Neurologist, Advanced Practice Provider, Medical Student

Teaching Styles Case-based, Didactic, Audience Participation

Event Timeline
02:30 PM - 03:00 PM CDT	Speaker	Identifying Cognitive Decline in Adults with IDD Seth M. Keller, MD, FAAN
03:00 PM - 03:30 PM CDT	Speaker	Cognitive Decline in Non-speaking and Limited Verbal Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder Susanna Mierau, MD, PhD
03:30 PM - 04:00 PM CDT	Speaker	Cognitive Decline and Dementia in Down Syndrome: Biomarkers, Behavioral Assessment, and Clinical Trials Beau M. Ances, MD, PhD, MS, FAAN
04:00 PM - 04:30 PM CDT	Discussion	Panel Discussion and Q&A with the Speakers Jessica Sanders, MD

Faculty Disclosures
Jessica Sanders, MD	The institution of Dr. Sanders has received research support from Child Neurology Foundation.
Seth M. Keller, MD, FAAN	Dr. Keller has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of Catalyst Pharma.
Susanna Mierau, MD, PhD	An immediate family member of Dr. Mierau has received personal compensation in the range of $0-$499 for serving as an Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Advisory Board Member for Frontiers in Bioinformatics. The institution of Dr. Mierau has received research support from National Institutes of Health. The institution of Dr. Mierau has received research support from Evelyn Trust. The institution of Dr. Mierau has received research support from Novo Nordisk Foundation. The institution of an immediate family member of Dr. Mierau has received research support from Novo Nordisk Foundation. The institution of an immediate family member of Dr. Mierau has received research support from Helmsley Foundation. The institution of an immediate family member of Dr. Mierau has received research support from National Institutes of Health. The institution of an immediate family member of Dr. Mierau has received research support from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
Beau M. Ances, MD, PhD, MS, FAAN	Dr. Ances has received personal compensation in the range of $0-$499 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for NIH.

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