Dementia Matters

The holidays can be a stressful time for everyone, especially those with dementia and their care partners. In preparation for this season, Dr. Alexis Eastman joins Dementia Matters for our last episode of 2024. Drs. Chin and Eastman discuss strategies for managing the potential stress of holiday traveling and gatherings, important safety considerations and more. Guest: Alexis Eastman, MD, geriatrician, Senior Medical Director of Ambulatory Medical Specialties, UW Health, associate clinical professor, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Show Notes Listen to our past episode with Dr. Eastman, “Holiday Tips for Dementia Caregivers,” on our website. Find more resources and tips for the holidays in “Resources for navigating the holidays with Alzheimer’s” on our website. Want to support Dementia Matters? Make an end-of-year gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our

With the recent surge in artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, one of the most exciting fields it could revolutionize is health care and, more specifically, the field of cognitive care and research. Dr. Marina Sirota and Alice Tang join the podcast to share their research on how AI could be used to predict one’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease based on their electronic health records. They also discuss what needs to be done to improve these algorithms and other ways this technology could be used in Alzheimer's disease research. Guests: Marina Sirota, PhD, associate professor, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), principal investigator, Sirota Lab, and Alice Tang, MD/PhD student, University of California San Francisco, postdoctoral fellow, Sirota Lab Show Notes Read Alice Tang and Dr. Sirota’s study, “Leveraging electronic health records and knowledge networks for Alzheimer’s disease prediction and sex-specific biological insights,” online through the journal Nature.. Learn

The field of biomarkers is constantly evolving, leading to developments in diagnosing and treating different kinds of dementia, but what exactly are biomarkers and how has our understanding of these measures changed over time?  Dr. Henrik Zetterberg joins Dementia Matters to talk about the latest updates in research on fluid biomarkers. Dr. Zetterberg goes in depth on the role and properties of different biomarkers and how new measures and tools, like blood tests, are impacting diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. Guest: Henrik Zetterberg, MD, PhD, professor of neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, University College London, visiting professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Biomarker Core co-leader, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Show Notes Learn more about Dr. Zetterberg on his University College London and University of Gothenburg profiles. Learn more about blood tests in our episode with Dr. Thomas Karikari, “Update on Blood Tests for Alzheimer’s Dise

If you're one of the 11 million Americans providing unpaid care to a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, you know that caregiving is both incredibly rewarding and challenging. What makes caring for someone with dementia so emotionally and physically demanding, and what resources and strategies are available to help? In this episode, Bonnie Nuttkinson joins us to discuss the unique needs of dementia caregivers, tips for navigating each stage of the disease and ways to find support along the caregiving journey. Guest: Bonnie Nuttkinson, MS, research program coordinator, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center   Show Notes Read the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2024 Facts and Figures report that Dr. Chin mentioned at 7:29 Get 10 tips and more resources for caregivers from the Caregiver Action Network that Dr. Chin mentioned at the 12-minute mark. Visit “Resources for People with Dementia and Care Partners” on the Wisconsin ADRC website. Find caregiving resources on the National Institute on Aging’s (NIA) Alzhe

What if you could test your cognition from the comfort of your own home using a smartphone? Drs. David Berron and Lindsay Clark have spent years researching cognitive neuroscience, culminating in a 2024 published study investigating the effectiveness of a smartphone app as a tool for detecting cognitive impairment outside of a clinic or research setting. Drs. Berron and Clark join Dementia Matters to discuss how the app and tests were developed, the benefits and drawbacks of this approach  and the implications of remote testing in the healthcare field.   Guests: David Berron, PhD, Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience research group leader, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), and Lindsay Clark, PhD, licensed neuropsychologist, clinical core co-lead, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC), assistant professor, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health   Show Notes Read Drs. Berron and Clark’s study, “A remote digital memory com

If you get the recommended eight hours of sleep per night, you spend a third of your life asleep. Why dedicate so much time to sleeping, and how can one get the most out of those eight hours? In this episode, Dr. Allison Reiss joins us for an insightful conversation about how sleep helps the brain, what the brain does while we are asleep, tips for improving one’s sleep hygiene and much more.  Guest: Allison Reiss, MD, internal medicine physician, head, Inflammation Laboratory, New York University (NYU) Langone Hospital-Long Island, associate professor of medicine, NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, member, Medical, Scientific & Memory Screening Advisory Board, Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Show Notes For more information about sleep, listen to our episode with Dr. Steven Barczi, “The Importance of Sleep for a Healthy Life,” mentioned by Dr. Chin at 1:40. Learn more about Dr. Reiss and her publications from her profile on the NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine website. Learn more abo

Dr. Reisa Sperling returns for another episode of Dementia Matters. After covering her research focused on preclinical Alzheimer’s disease in part one, Dr. Sperling dives deeper into the different factors that can impact cognitive decline and early-stage Alzheimer’s disease and how clinical trials are shaping the field’s understanding of detecting, treating and preventing the disease. Guest: Reisa Sperling, MD, director, Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (CART), co-principal investigator, Harvard Aging Brain Study, principal investigator, Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC), co-leader, A4 Study, co-leader, AHEAD 3-45 Study, professor of neurology, Harvard Medical School   Show Notes Listen to our first episode with Dr. Sperling, “Defining and Addressing Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease,” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and on our website. Read more about the Harvard Aging Brains Study on their website. Read more about the AHEAD Study on their website. Watch “Voices from the AHEAD Alzheimer’s Dis

What if there was a way to detect Alzheimer’s disease before clinical signs and symptoms even appeared? Dr. Reisa Sperling joins Dementia Matters for a two-part series covering her research on detecting and treating Alzheimer’s disease at the earliest possible stage, known as preclinical Alzheimer’s. In this episode, Dr. Sperling goes in-depth on amyloid and tau proteins and the implications on early detection and treatment strategies for Alzheimer’s disease. Guest: Reisa Sperling, MD, director, Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (CART), co-principal investigator, Harvard Aging Brain Study, principal investigator, Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC), co-leader, A4 Study, co-leader, AHEAD 3-45 Study, professor of neurology, Harvard Medical School Show Notes Read more about the Harvard Aging Brains Study on their website. Read more about the AHEAD Study on their website. Watch “Voices from the AHEAD Alzheimer’s Disease Trial,” featuring Dr. Cynthia Carlsson and a research participant, on YouT

An expanding field of research is looking at how the gut affects different parts of people’s health, but how does it affect brain health? Drs. Barb Bendlin and Tyler Ulland join the podcast to talk about their 2023 study, which suggests a link between gut health, aging and changes related to Alzheimer’s disease. They discuss their findings on how gut inflammation could impact brain health, as well as explain what it means to have good gut health and how food, medications, where one lives and other factors can impact the gut microbiome. Guests: Barbara Bendlin, PhD, professor, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, deputy director, University of Wisconsin (UW) Center for Health Disparities Research, and Tyler Ulland, PhD, associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, UW School of Medicine and Public Health, leader, Ulland Lab Show Notes Learn more about the 2024 Fall Community Conversation: The Impact of Social Connections on Brain Health and register to attend in person on our website. Read Dr. B

In this compendium episode, we review some of the best information and research that we’ve shared on the six pillars of brain health. With excerpts highlighting the importance of physical activity, diet, sleep, social engagement and more, our six guests show that there are numerous evidence-based lifestyle interventions that a person can incorporate into their daily lives to improve their brain health and delay the onset of or reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Show Notes Learn more about the 2024 Fall Community Conversation: The Impact of Social Connections on Brain Health and register to attend in person on our website. Learn more about exercise and physical activity at 2:57 or by listening to the episode, “Building the Brain: Finding the Cognitive Benefits of Physical Activity,” on our website. Learn more about the MIND diet at 8:58 or by listening to the episode, “MIND Diet for Healthy Brain Aging,” on our website. Learn more about the importance of sleep at 14:28 or by listening to the

While genetics and lifestyle can influence one’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, other unexpected factors can shift the possibility. One of these factors is personality. Dr. Emorie Beck joins Dementia Matters to share her research on the link between personality and Alzheimer’s risk. Dr. Beck breaks down the Big Five traits that make up someone’s personality and their effects on a person’s cognitive health.  Guest: Emorie Beck, PhD, assistant professor, University of California, Davis Show Notes Read Dr. Beck’s study, “Personality predictors of dementia diagnosis and neuropathological burden: An individual participant data meta-analysis,” through the Alzheimer’s Association Journals website. Learn more about Dr. Beck on her profile on the UC–Davis website. Learn more about social isolation by listening to our episode, “The Impact of Social Isolation on Dementia Risk in Older Adults,” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and on our website. Find out your personality type by taking the FiveThirtyEight Personalit

Dementia Matters Special Series: Voices of Research Participants When Ms. Carol Turner found out her family had a history of Alzheimer’s disease, she wanted to know how she could help herself and others with similar experiences. After learning about the AHEAD Study, which is testing a treatment that could delay memory loss before Alzheimer’s symptoms appear, she signed up to participate in this ground-breaking research. Ms. Turner joins the final episode in our Voices of Research Participants series to discuss her journey as a research participant, how she became an advocate for others in her community and the power of representation in clinical trials. Guest: Ms. Carol Turner, AHEAD Study participant Co-host: Sarah Walter, MSc, program administrator, Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC) and Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI)   Show Notes Listen to the rest of the Voices of Research Participants series, “From Caregiver to Research Participant: How One Woman’s Experience as a Dementia C

On this episode of Dementia Matters, Dr. Scott Roberts talks about disclosing genetic test results for APOE, a gene that can increase one’s likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease. While this information can be concerning, Dr. Roberts shares that it can empower individuals to take the necessary precautions to lower their risk of developing the disease. He discusses the Risk Evaluation and Education for Alzheimer’s Disease (REVEAL) study, walks us through the APOE disclosure process and shares how it is evolving with the development of new Alzheimer’s treatments. Guest: Scott Roberts, PhD, interim chair, professor of health behavior & health education, University of Michigan School of Public Health   Show Notes Read Dr. Roberts’ article, “Genetic risk assessment for adult children of people with Alzheimer's disease: the Risk Evaluation and Education for Alzheimer's Disease (REVEAL) study,” on the SageJournals website. Decide if you’re a fit forAPOE testing using Virginia Tech’s ‘Gene Test or Not?’ dec

Dementia Matters Special Series: Voices of Research Participants What do you do when dementia symptoms begin to upend your entire life? For Brother John-Richard Pagan, the answer was to persist in finding a diagnosis and a supportive community that aligned with his values. In this episode of our Voices of Research Participants series with co-host Sarah Walter, MSc, Br John-Richard describes how he went from a PhD student to a dementia research participant and his journey getting diagnosed with Lewy body dementia (LBD). Br John-Richard also discusses how his background in clinical psychology influenced his participation in research and his advocacy for disabled, LGBTQ+ and other marginalized community members in medical research. Guest: Br John-Richard Pagan, MS, veteran, monastic, Episcopal Ecumenical Community, advocate, Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA) Co-host: Sarah Walter, MSc, program administrator, Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC) and Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI)  

When it comes to dementia diagnoses, the earlier, the better, but why is it difficult to detect dementia in its early stages? Moreover, what strategies can be used to improve dementia detection? Dr. Josh Chodosh joins the podcast to answer these questions and discuss how public health initiatives could improve dementia diagnoses. He also talks about his work with the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Center, a public health center focused on early detection and ending the stigma around dementia. Guest: Joshua Chodosh, MD, director, division of geriatric medicine and palliative care, Michael L. Freedman professor of geriatric research, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, staff physician, VA Harbor Healthcare System Show Notes Learn more about the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Public Health Center of Excellence on Early Detection of Dementia on their website. Learn more about the Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) in Wisconsin and across the country. Learn more about Dr. Chodo

Picture this: you are supporting someone experiencing memory changes as a clinician, support person or care partner while they go through the memory clinic process. How do you navigate the challenging conversations surrounding symptoms, diagnoses, care plans and more that come up? Dr. Toby Campbell joins the podcast to discuss the importance of shared decision-making and share strategies for clinicians, care partners and loved ones to help navigate these important conversations with respect and empathy. Guest: Toby Campbell, MD, MS, thoracic medical oncologist, chief of palliative care, UW Health, professor of hematology, medical oncology and palliative care, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Show Notes Are you a clinician interested in receiving continuing education (CE) credits for listening to this episode? Find credit designation information, disclosures and evaluation information on our website and on the UW–Madison Interprofessional Continuing Education Partnership (ICEP) webs

Advances in Alzheimer’s disease clinical trials are accelerating rapidly, leading to new insights and disease-modifying therapies, but how does the field continue bolstering that momentum? For Dr. Rema Raman, it’s through improving inclusivity and training for early-career researchers. Recorded at the 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Dementias Research Day, Dr. Raman joins the podcast to discuss her work in research recruitment and retention, the importance of training the next generation of clinical trialists in dementia research with the IMPACT-AD program and more from her featured presentation. Guest: Rema Raman, PhD, co-director, Institute of Methods and Protocols for Advancement of Clinical Trials in ADRD (IMPACT-AD), director, section of biostatistics, section of participant recruitment & retention section, Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute, professor of neurology, University of Southern California Show Notes Watch our YouTube page for upcoming recordings of Dr. Raman’s presentation a

What do you do if you have a family history of dementia and are experiencing symptoms, but can’t get a diagnosis? Dr. Sara Langer has dealt with just that. In the latest episode of our Voices of Research Participants series, Dr. Langer shares the obstacles she endured to receive her diagnosis of Lewy body dementia (LBD), how her background as a neurologist influenced her search for clinical care and how she turned to dementia research to find answers. She also discusses ways that the field of dementia research could improve to support those with other forms of dementia outside of Alzheimer’s disease. Guest: Sara Langer, MD, neurologist Co-host: Sarah Walter, MSc, program administrator, Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC) and Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI) Show Notes Learn more about Sarah Walter at her bio on the Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium website. Listen to the first episode of the Voices of Research Participants series, “From Caregiver to Research Participant: How On

The brain is the most complex part of the human body, controlling thought, memory, emotion, motor skills, sensory input and all the processes that regulate our bodies. How exactly does it work, and how are clinicians able to determine whether brain changes are a result of normal aging, Alzheimer’s disease, or something else? Dr. Victoria Williams joins the podcast to explain important concepts in neuropsychology, from the difference between cognition and intelligence to how memories are made, and discuss how cognitive tests work in memory clinics. Guest: Victoria Williams, PhD, neuropsychologist, UW Health, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Show Notes Are you a clinician interested in receiving continuing education (CE) credits for listening to this episode? Find credit designation information, disclosures and evaluation information on our website and on the UW–Madison Interprofessional Continuing Education Partnership (ICEP) website. The

Since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020, there have been many concerns about how cases of COVID-19 and Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions (PCC) affect not just a person’s physical health, but their cognition as well. In this episode, Dr. Jim Jackson talks about his path into critical illness research and his dedicated focus on unraveling the impact of Long COVID on cognition. Throughout the discussion, he talks about the parallels between Long COVID and other chronic illnesses, the effects of Long COVID across different demographics, the concurrent challenges faced by older adults and more.  Guest: James “Jim” Jackson, PsyD, director of long-term outcomes, Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship (CIBS) Center, research associate professor of medicine director of behavioral health, ICU Recovery Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Show Notes Learn more about Dr. Jackson’s book, Clearing the Fog: From Surviving to Thriving with Long Covid―A