Dementia Matters

Could Green Tea Hold the Key to New Alzheimer’s Treatments?

Dr. Paul Seidler joins the podcast to discuss his recent study looking at the connection between molecules in green tea and tau proteins. He also discusses the impact those molecules have on preventing cognitive decline and how these findings could lead to new strategies for treating Alzheimer’s disease.

Guest: Paul Seidler, PhD, assistant professor, University of Southern California Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Show Notes

Read more about Dr. Seidler’s study, “Structure-based discovery of small molecules that disaggregate Alzheimer's disease tissue derived tau fibrils in vitro,” on the National Library of Medicine website.

Read the article on the research from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), “Study of green tea and other molecules uncovers new therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s,” on their website.

Learn more about Dr. Seidler on the University of Southern California’s website.

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The Impact of Social Isolation on Dementia Risk in Older Adults

In May 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, released an advisory calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness and social isolation in the U.S. With this widespread issue affecting such a broad population, how does social isolation impact older adults? Dr. Alison Huang joins the podcast to share insights from her study on the relationship between social isolation and the risk of dementia in older adults. Using data from a nine-year National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), she discusses how factors like living alone, limited social networks and reduced activity participation contribute to increased dementia risk.

Guest: Alison Huang, PhD, MPH, senior research associate, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Show Notes

Learn more about the U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation, on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website.

Read Dr. Huang’s study, “Social isolation and 9-year dementia risk in community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries in the United States,” on the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society website.

Learn more about the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) on their website.

Learn more about Dr. Alison Huang on Johns Hopkins Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health’s website.

Learn more about Alzheimer's disease prevention on our website.

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Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: dementiamatters@medicine.wisc.edu

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Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Memories and Milestones: Celebrating Six Years of ‘Dementia Matters’

Six years following the start of Dementia Matters in October 2017, the podcast team turns the tables on our host, Dr. Nathaniel Chin. Producers Amy Lambright Murphy and Caoilfhinn Rauwerdink talk with Dr. Chin about how the podcast got started, the brain health tips he incorporates into his own life, how he envisions the field of Alzheimer’s disease research advancing in the next five years and other personal insights from the person behind the podcast.
Guest: Nathaniel Chin, MD, geriatrician, medical director, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention, host, Dementia Matters

Show Notes

Visit our “Prevention” webpage for more on the brain health tips mentioned at 7:07.

Listen to our episode, “Highlights from the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference,” referenced at 10:49, on our website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Learn more about the importance of a healthy diet, mentioned at 8:25, by watching, “Take Care of Your MIND: Reviewing the MIND Diet for Healthy Brain Aging,” on our YouTube channel.

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Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: dementiamatters@medicine.wisc.edu

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Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Crosswords or Computers: Which is Better for Cognitive Engagement?

Cognitive engagement is vital to keeping your brain healthy since it can slow shrinkage and induce neuroplasticity. While modern technology offers many new tools and games to keep your brain active, are they better than traditional puzzles like crosswords? Dr. Murali Doraiswamy of Duke University joins the podcast to talk about his recent study, in collaboration with principal investigator Dr. Dev Devanand of Columbia University, on the effects of daily crossword puzzles on the brain health of older adults in comparison to daily computerized games. 

Guest: P. Murali Doraiswamy, MBBS, FRCP, director, Neurocognitive Disorders Program, physician scientist, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, professor of psychiatry and medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, co-author, The Alzheimer’s Action Plan

Show Notes

Learn more about Dr. Doraiswamy on Duke University Department of Medicine’s website.

Read Drs. Devanand and Doraiswamy's study, “Computerized Games versus Crosswords Training in Mild Cognitive Impairment,” through the New England Journal of Medicine Evidence.

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Email Dementia Matters: dementiamatters@medicine.wisc.edu

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Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

RAISE(ing) Support for Caregivers: State and National Resources for Family Care Partners

Dementia caregiving is a multifaceted domain, deeply influenced by research, strategy and personal experiences. How are these elements shaping the current and future landscape of care? Dr. Beth Fields joins the podcast to discuss strategies and resources for caregivers from both national, state and personal perspectives, including the CHAT tool, the CAPABLE program and the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers.

Guest: Beth Fields, PhD, board-certified occupational therapist, assistant professor, Department of Kinesiology, affiliate faculty member, Center for Aging Research and Education and Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison

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 accreditation for this course expires 10/9/2024. After this date, you will no longer be able to access the course or claim credit.

Learn more about the RAISE 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers on the Administration for Community Living’s website.

Read Dr. Fields’ studies on the CHAT tool and CAPABLE program.

Learn more about family caregiver support resources on Trualta’s website.

Visit Wisconsin’s Family Caregiver Support Programs at wisconsincaregiver.org.

Listen to our episode with Dr. Arthur Kleinman, “Exploring the Lessons Learned as a New Caregiver” mentioned at 24:48, on our website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podbean, or wherever you listen.

Learn more about Dr. Fields on the UW Department of Kinesiology’s website.

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Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: dementiamatters@medicine.wisc.edu

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Mental Health and Memory: The Connections between Chronic Mental Illness and Dementia

Like cognition, mental health is a key component of the brain — and overall — health. In what ways can mental health and chronic mental illness impact a person’s cognition and risk for dementia? Dr. Art Walaszek joins the podcast to discuss the relationships between dementia and chronic mental illnesses, including major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in older adults.

Guest: Art Walaszek, MD, geriatric psychiatrist, professor, vice chair for education and faculty development, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Show Notes

Are you a clinician who’s interested in receiving continuing education (CE) credit 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 accreditation for this course expires 9/18/2024. After this date, you will no longer be able to access the course or claim credit.

If you or a loved one are struggling with mental health or are experiencing a mental health crisis, please reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

Learn more about Dr. Walaszek on the UW Department of Psychiatry’s website.

Connect with us

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: dementiamatters@medicine.wisc.edu

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Highlights from the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference

The 2023 Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) in Amsterdam brought together the world's leading scientists, clinical researchers, early career investigators, caregiving researchers and more to discuss the latest findings and advancements in dementia science. Dr. Percy Griffin joins the podcast to share key highlights from the conference. He discusses the use of CRISPR technology in Alzheimer's research, the significance of defining Alzheimer's by its biology rather than its symptoms and how the field is moving toward a precision medicine approach. 

Guest: Percy Griffin, PhD, director of scientific engagement, Alzheimer’s Association

Show Notes

Learn more about the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s Fall Community Conversation on our website, and watch the livestream on our YouTube page.

AAIC is the world’s largest forum dedicated to advancing dementia research. Find more highlights from the conference, including on-demand content that is available to watch through September 20, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. CT, on the AAIC website.

Find news highlights on CRISPR technology, county-level prevalence data on Alzheimer's, the ACHIEVE study and more mentioned by Dr. Griffin on the AAIC website.

Listen to our AAIC 2022 highlights episode with Dr. Griffin, mentioned at 1:15, on our website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you listen.

Learn more about Dr. Griffin in his bio on the Alzheimer’s Association’s website.

Connect with us

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: dementiamatters@medicine.wisc.edu

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Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

A Fair Fight Against Alzheimer’s: The Need for Equity in Dementia Research and Care

How can we ensure that all communities are represented in Alzheimer’s and related dementias research and have access to the latest treatments and interventions? Dr. Carl Hill, the chief diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) officer for the Alzheimer's Association, joins the podcast to delve into the significance of representation, diversity, equity, equality and inclusion within Alzheimer's disease research. He discusses the challenges of underrepresentation in clinical trials, the importance of community-based participatory research (CBPR) and the social determinants of health that influence Alzheimer's risk.

Guest: Carl V. Hill, PhD, MPH, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, Alzheimer's Association

Show Notes

Learn more about the Alzheimer’s Association’s effort in DEI from their inaugural DEI report.

Learn more about race-related topics in Alzheimer’s disease from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2022 here, including a study on the impact of racism on the brain and findings on racial disparities in health equity and resources in Black and Brown communities.

Listen to Dr. Hill’s past episodes of Dementia Matters, “Scientific Importance Of Diversity In Alzheimer’s Disease Research,” and, “Battling Health Disparities In Aging Research And Care,” on our website.

Learn more about Dr. Hill in his bio on the Alzheimer’s Association’s website.

Connect with us

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: dementiamatters@medicine.wisc.edu

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Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Agitation and Alzheimer’s: Strategies for Managing Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia

Many people living with dementia experience behavioral symptoms alongside changes in their cognition. What can care partners and healthcare providers do to manage these behavioral changes? After leading the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s (ADRC) annual Dr. Daniel I. Kaufer Lecture, Dr. Helen Kales joins the podcast to discuss agitation and other behavioral symptoms of dementia, the use of medications to manage these symptoms, and different caregiving approaches for addressing these behavioral changes in people living with dementia.

Guest: Helen Kales, MD, geriatric psychiatrist, Joe P. Tupin Endowed Professor of Psychiatry, Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis

Show Notes

Watch the recording of Dr. Kales’ lecture, "Agitation is not a disease: How can we better manage the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia?,” on YouTube.

Learn more about the DICE approach, discussed at 21:01, on The DICE Approach website.

Learn more about the annual Dr. Daniel I. Kaufer Lecture on our website.

Learn more about Dr. Kales at her bio on the University of California, Davis website.

Connect with us

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: dementiamatters@medicine.wisc.edu

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Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.

Promises to Practice: Creating Sustainable Community Partnerships to Support Alzheimer’s Research

Gina Green-Harris joins the podcast to discuss the importance of collaborating with communities in Alzheimer’s research. Sharing her experience as a researcher with the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute (WAI) and the All of Us research program, she describes the key tenets of community engagement and explains ways researchers can build intentional, sustainable partnerships with communities throughout the research process This episode is part of a series featuring speakers from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center’s (NACC) Fall 2022 ADRC Meeting, where the overarching theme was Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in ADRC research and operations.

Guest: Gina Green-Harris, MBA, director, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute Regional Milwaukee Office, co-primary investigator, co-director, University of Wisconsin–Madison’s All of Us research program

Show Notes

Learn more about Gina Green-Harris on the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute’s website and on the UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research’s website.

Learn more about the All of Us Research Program.

Watch a recording of Gina Green-Harris’s talk at NACC’s Fall 2022 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

Learn more about the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center at their website.

Connect with us

Find transcripts and more at our website.

Email Dementia Matters: dementiamatters@medicine.wisc.edu

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter.