In 2013 and 2014, Beverly Thorn’s husband, Walt, began having reasoning and memory problems.

Walt, by all accounts a brilliant, highly organized professor and associate dean in the University of Alabama’s College of Business, had trouble with spelling and simple arithmetic, could not easily read the paper.

His speech was becoming halting; he was often anxious and obsessed with mundane matters like his pet chihuahua’s kibble.

He was forgetful, not as efficient or productive, somewhat socially withdrawn, and edgier, quicker to anger, and was aware of it. It seems highly intelligent individuals are more sensitive to the variations in their own cognitive abilities.

Dr. Thorn, a psychologist and prior head of her department, went with Walt to the UAB Brain Aging and Memory clinic where a te

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