ADRC News

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.   Imagine a tiered, ornately decorated cake. Each tier has a unique flavor, filling, and frosting. The cakes are stacked at various heights and widths and adorned with décor. If you were to slice through each layer, you could distinctly identify each layer’s cake, filling, and frosting. While it would be possible to cut through all tiers together, you could appreciate and evaluate the flavors better by creating slices for the tiers singularly. The Read More The post The Intricate Art and Science of Brain Donation and Analysis at Penn’s Brain Bank appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading The Intricate Art and Science of Brain Donation and Analysis at Penn’s Brain Bank

Penn Medicine and UC San Diego scientists will develop a tau-targeting drug candidate through IND-enabling studies By Meagan Raeke, PennMedicine.org A multidisciplinary team of scientists led by Kurt Brunden, Ph.D., at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and Carlo Ballatore, Ph.D., at University of California San Diego, has been awarded a $6.9 million grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to prepare a potential disease-modifying Alzheimer’s treatment for future clinical trials. In a recently published study about the new compound, called CNDR-51997, the team found it was effective in restoring brain health in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. CNDR-51997 was identified through Read More The post NIH Awards $6.9 Million to Advance Potential Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading NIH Awards $6.9 Million to Advance Potential Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment

By Meghan McCarthy   Author’s Note: This article is part of an ongoing coverage of the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). To view all highlights, please click here.     For the third consecutive year, I have had the privilege of interviewing physician-scientists and researchers to cover their work ahead of the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). These conversations are rich in information and inspiration for the future directions of work in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRDs). Yet this year, with the conference being held in Philadelphia, and ongoing clinical trials to delay onset of dementia for early AD, I must Read More The post The Future is Tau, a Commentary with Virginia Lee appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading The Future is Tau, a Commentary with Virginia Lee

By Meghan McCarthy  Author’s Note: This article is part of ongoing coverage of the 2024 Alzheimer Association’s International Conference (AAIC). To view all highlights, please click here.    Researchers at the Penn Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) Center found that high neighborhood deprivation levels are associated with shorter survival and faster cognitive decline in patients with behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD).     BvFTD accounts for nearly half of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) cases. Although symptoms can vary across patients, most patients with bvFTD experience impairments in social functioning and personality. With respect to cognitive symptoms, patients with bvFTD often experience deficits in executive function Read More The post Where you live can affect how quickly dementia progresses appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Where you live can affect how quickly dementia progresses

This week, researchers and clinicians from around the world convened in Philadelphia for the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) to discuss recent advances in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Check out: 📰 Big news in Alzheimer’s space: Research breakthroughs presented at AAIC 📌 Penn at AAIC: Panel discussions, posters, and talks 🌍 From around the world: Global perspectives on Alzheimer’s research 🌐 In the news: Media coverage of AAIC —————————————————————————————————————— Big news in Alzheimer’s space A blood test accurately diagnosed Alzheimer’s 90% of the time, study finds A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Read More The post 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference: Breakthroughs and Insights from the World’s Leading Experts appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference: Breakthroughs and Insights from the World’s Leading Experts

By Meghan McCarthy   Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing coverage of the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association’s International Conference (AAIC). To view all highlights, please click here.    Each morning, Sarah wakes up early, makes a pot of coffee, and turns on the news. The ritual had been a part of her routine for decades. In their retirement years, Sarah’s partner, Jodi, slept in a little later but always joined Sarah eventually. Together, the two sip their coffee and watch the stories of triumph and tragedy alike on their morning station.   Sarah doesn’t remember exactly when a change in Read More The post New Study Explores Empathy Loss in Behavioral-Variant Frontotemporal Dementia Patients appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading New Study Explores Empathy Loss in Behavioral-Variant Frontotemporal Dementia Patients

By Meghan McCarthy  The Penn Memory Center (PMC) is dedicated to training the next generation of clinicians and researchers. Central to this mission is the Clark Scholars Program, designed to encourage and guide early career researchers as they study Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, cognitive aging, and lifelong brain health. This year, PMC welcomes Hannah Cho, MSN, RN, ACHPN, who will join the 2024-2025 class of clinician scientists. Three Clark Scholars are continuing in the program for additional training and research development including Christopher Brown, MD, PhD; Catherine Noirse, MD, MTR; and Ellen Munsterman, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC.   A unique background, Read More The post Meet PMC 2024 Clark Scholar, Hannah Cho, MSN  appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Meet PMC 2024 Clark Scholar, Hannah Cho, MSN 

By Meghan McCarthy In a recently published manuscript, researchers at the Penn Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) Center found that African American patients and those of low socioeconomic status are significantly less likely to access neurogenetic evaluation compared to White patients. These findings exemplify systemic barriers and health inequities and have a direct impact on the equitable inclusion of marginalized groups in clinical trials related to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRDs). Neurogenetic evaluation, which includes genetic counseling and testing, is used for diagnostics and disease risk predictions. In the world of ADRDs, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is one example that has hereditary Read More The post Study Reveals Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Access to Neurogenetic Evaluation appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Study Reveals Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Access to Neurogenetic Evaluation

Members of the public and clinicians are invited to learn about advancements in Alzheimer’s and dementia research at the upcoming AAIC For All event, a no-cost, single-day extension of the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). This event provides a unique platform for both clinicians and the general public to engage with the latest research findings and developments in dementia science. About AAIC For All AAIC For All offers an invaluable opportunity to hear directly from leading Alzheimer’s and dementia researchers. Set on the final day of the AAIC, this event ensures attendees are among the first to learn about cutting-edge Read More The post Discover the Latest in Alzheimer’s and Dementia Research at “AAIC For All” appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading Discover the Latest in Alzheimer’s and Dementia Research at “AAIC For All”

On May 8, the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed a bipartisan bill entitled the “Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act.” This bill aims to extend several telehealth flexibilities, including removing geographic restrictions from beneficiaries, expanding originating sites, and allowing clinicians such as occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists to provide services via telehealth. It also seeks to expand audio-only telehealth coverage, reduce in-person requirements for mental health service coverage, and enhance support for individuals with limited English proficiency. The bill reflects an important continuation of bipartisan support since the rapid increase of telemedicine in 2020. Read More The post House Committee Approves Bill to Extend Telehealth Access appeared first on Penn Memory Center. Continue reading House Committee Approves Bill to Extend Telehealth Access