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Mission
The mission of the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research (CNDR) is to promote and conduct multidisciplinary clinical and basic research to increase the understanding of the causes and mechanisms leading to brain dysfunction and degeneration in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Lewy body dementia (LBD), Frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), Motor neuron disease (MND), and related disorders that occur increasingly with advancing age. Implicit in the mission of the CNDR are two overarching goals: 1.) Find better ways to cure and treat these disorders, 2. Provide training to the next generation of scientists.
“My goal for CNDR is not only to collaborate with researchers at Penn and from institutions across the globe with the mutual goal of finding better ways to diagnose and treat neurodegenerative diseases, but also to inspire and encourage the next generation of scientists on the importance of investigating these disorders that occur more frequently with advancing age.” – Virginia M.-Y. Lee, PhD, Director, CNDR
John Q. Trojanowski, MD, PhD | 1946 - 2022
In loving memory of John Q. Trojanowski, MD, PhD
Latest Research
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The cognitive neuropsychology of action semantics: A review
Thursday, December 18, 2025
The conceptual knowledge that mediates our ability to use familiar objects, understand viewed actions, and engage in communication about actions is often termed "action semantics". The underlying format, cognitive organization, and neural substrates of these representations are matters of active scientific investigation. This review synthesizes the large and diverse literature on action semantics in individuals with neurological disorders characterized by prominent motor deficits (e.g.,...
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A Narrative Review of the Association Between Cataracts and Dementia
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Dementia and cataract are two of the most prevalent conditions in older adults, together representing a substantial global health burden. Increasing evidence suggests a potential link between cataract and dementia, and this narrative review synthesizes current epidemiological and mechanistic evidence on their association. Recent cohort and case-control studies report a modestly increased risk of dementia in individuals with cataracts, though inconsistencies persist across populations....
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Author Response to Comment on "Neuropsychological Tests of Memory, Visuospatial, and Language Function in Parkinson's Disease: Review, Critique, and Recommendations"
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
No abstract