ADRC News

By Meghan McCarthy  Malawi, a country approximately 7,826 miles from the Penn Memory Center (PMC), is celebrated for its vibrant culture, striking landscapes, and resilient people. Its diverse terrain is framed by majestic mountains with lively villages echoing with the sounds of children and rivers teeming with wildlife.   Despite its beauty, Malawi faces significant challenges. Ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world, over 50% of its population lives below the national poverty line. A prolonged drought in 2024 has further destabilized its agriculture-dependent economy, profoundly affecting the health and opportunities available to Malawians.   For the past Read More The post Bridging Borders: Advancing Aging Research in Malawi  appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Bridging Borders: Advancing Aging Research in Malawi 

Author’s Note: This article is part of our coverage of the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). To view all highlights, please click here.    At the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association’s International Conference (AAIC), hundreds of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRDs) experts presented on innovative and diverse topics in the field. When reviewing poster presentations, the Penn Memory Center (PMC) Communication’s team noted that several researchers used speech analysis to measure cognitive decline.  An everyday function, speech can be a critical marker for cognition. For instance, the pace at which someone speaks, complexity of words used, and pauses within speech are Read More The post Evaluating Speech Patterns: A Key Theme at AAIC 2024  appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Evaluating Speech Patterns: A Key Theme at AAIC 2024 

By Jake Johnson “Serendipitous” is how Dalia Elsaid described her journey into communications.   It wasn’t a field she initially had much interest in, she said, and instead, Elsaid went to college to study politics. Born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, Elsaid’s job at the Canadian Embassy as a Press and Public Affairs Officer sparked her interest in the way information was conveyed and understood. The tumultuous political landscape of Egyptian politics during that period instilled in her an even greater understanding of the power of communications.   Although she would only pursue a career in communications later in life, Elsaid’s Read More The post Dalia Elsaid’s ‘serendipitous’ journey to PMC appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Dalia Elsaid’s ‘serendipitous’ journey to PMC

By Meghan McCarthy    I vividly remember the day Olivia (Liv) Hall became my best friend. We sat together on the bus ride home from a high school field trip, chatting about everything and nothing. Up until then, our friendship had grown through shared struggles in AP European History, staying after school for clubs, and taking photos at the annual Fall Ball. While I cherish those memories, they weren’t what truly bonded us. What brought us closer was something much deeper: our shared experiences as caregivers for our grandparents with dementia.  Since that moment, Liv and I have been inseparable. Read More The post A Granddaughter’s Caregiving Shaped Personal Growth, Perspective, and Friendship appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading A Granddaughter’s Caregiving Shaped Personal Growth, Perspective, and Friendship

By Meghan McCarthy  What is one quality that makes you great? For many, this question can be a difficult to answer. Traditional societal values often discourage openly complimenting oneself in public. Yet, Jean Haskell, facilitator of the Penn Memory Center’s Cognitive Comedy class, often begins sessions by posing this very question. As I observed a fall class, I was struck by the ease and comfort with which participants responded. “I try to be kind,” one participant said. “I work out every other day,” another shared. “I am great because of my wife,” a third added. This seemingly simple question revealed Read More The post Laugh Your Way to Connection: Inside PMC’s Cognitive Comedy Class appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Laugh Your Way to Connection: Inside PMC’s Cognitive Comedy Class

It has been yet another groundbreaking year for research in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRDs). At the Penn Memory Center (PMC), we asked team members to reflect on the most impactful initiatives and publications from 2024.   David Wolk, MD, PMC Co-Director “More and more of what we’re learning is that a lot of what drives symptoms is not just plaques and tangles—which are the main two pathologies of Alzheimer’s disease—but a variety of other factors. While we’ve developed more tools to measure some aspects of brain changes associated with aging, I think a real drive in the coming Read More The post Penn Memory Center Team Reflects on Impactful Takeaways from 2024 appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Penn Memory Center Team Reflects on Impactful Takeaways from 2024

By Meghan McCarthy  Author’s Note: This article is part of ongoing coverage of the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). To view all highlights, please click here.  Recent research through the Departments of Bioengineering, Neurology, and Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania is exploring the biologic causes for atypical Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Led by Lasya Sreepada, MS, BS, a doctoral candidate at Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the team presented their work at the 2024 AAIC. Atypical AD affects approximately 15 percent of AD patients. The term encompasses individuals who experience cognitive outcomes that differ from typical AD Read More The post Exploring the Biological Roots of Atypical Alzheimer’s Disease: Penn Researcher Uncovers New Insights appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Exploring the Biological Roots of Atypical Alzheimer’s Disease: Penn Researcher Uncovers New Insights

By Meghan McCarthy   Bianca Cavedoni-Urbano, MD, has always dreamt of becoming a physician. While she cannot pinpoint the exact moment her dream began, providing care to patients has always felt like her calling.  Her medical journey—from rigorous training, a move across the globe, and research engagements—has brought many changes. Yet, she has remained committed to her mission.  Transitioning to American Training  Born and raised in Venezuela, Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano attended la Universidad del Zulia for medical school. After completing residency in internal medicine, she was faced with a difficult decision. Due to the ongoing political crisis in Venezuela, she struggled to Read More The post Perseverance, Passion, and Patient Care: Welcoming Dr. Bianca Cavedoni-Urbano, PMC’s Newest Clinical Fellow appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Perseverance, Passion, and Patient Care: Welcoming Dr. Bianca Cavedoni-Urbano, PMC’s Newest Clinical Fellow

By Meghan McCarthy  Editor’s Note: This article is part of the Disability and Dementia Series, which is an ongoing project aimed to highlight Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) experiences in individuals with intellectual disabilities.   In a 2017 testimony to congress, advocate Frank Stephens stated: “I cannot tell you how much it means to me that my extra chromosome might lead to the answer to Alzheimer’s.”  [Above: Video of Frank Stephens’ testimony]   A powerful moment, Stephens’ message was clear. Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) must and should be included in Alzheimer’s disease research.   It is estimated that over 50% of Read More The post Down Syndrome and Dementia: What to Know appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Down Syndrome and Dementia: What to Know

Beth Wood Discusses the Evolution of Genetic Counseling Through Telehealth and Chatbots at AAIC 2024  By Meghan McCarthy  Author’s Note: This article is part of ongoing coverage of the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). To view all highlights, please click here.   Elisabeth Wood, MS, LCGC, has been a genetic counselor at Penn Medicine since 2003. Originally working for the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research (CNDR), she spent over a decade focusing on genetic forms of dementias and related disorders. Currently, she works in the Penn Telegenetics Program, where she helps to conduct research on genetic counseling services via telehealth Read More The post Q&A With Genetic Counselor Beth Wood appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Q&A With Genetic Counselor Beth Wood