ADRC News

The Wisconsin Partnership Program at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health recently announced 22 new grants totaling $2.7 million to researchers and community organizations across Wisconsin for their efforts to lessen the impact of COVID-19. One of those grants was awarded to a team of principal investigators that includes Carey Gleason, PhD, MS, Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center; Melissa Metoxen, MS, Native American Center for Health Professions community and academic support coordinator; and...

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) featured participants from the Wisconsin ADRC on a new webpage that aims to educate people about the process of brain donation and how people can enroll in a brain donation program. "Brain Donation: A Gift for Future Generations" explains how brain donation helps researchers study brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and how researchers can learn the most from donations from people who participated in research...

Research shows that there is a disproportionate risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) among some groups of people. Women, people living in rural communities, people of color, and people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantages are all more likely to develop AD. By studying these risk differences, researchers gain valuable insights to better understand the disease and interventions that can reduce risk. Recently, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that a stress-related pathway contributes to cognitive aging and...

Congratulations to Dr. Ryan Dougherty, who successfully defended his doctoral dissertation earlier this month and earned his PhD in ​kinesiology with a neuroscience minor. Dr. Dougherty worked in the labs of Ozioma Okonkwo, PhD, in the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and Dane Cook, PhD, in the School of Education’s Department of Kinesiology. His research interests revolve around modifiable lifestyle factors that can be targeted to delay the onset of age-related cognitive decline and...

Mindfulness is defined as a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. The state of mindfulness can be an extremely helpful resource for coping with our current shelter-at-home during COVID-19 by calming the mind and body. It is taking time to check-in and do a non-judgmental evaluation of yourself to see how you are doing and feeling – to...

By Kate Lange, MPH; Eileen Partridge, DNP, AGPCNP-BC; and Cynthia Carlsson, MD, MS

Hypertension is the leading risk factor for disability and premature death worldwide (Lim et al., 2012). High blood pressure can result in the complications of heart disease, heart failure, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, kidney disease, retinopathy, and death. In 2005, high blood pressure was associated with one of every six preventable deaths in the United States (Danaie et al., 2009). This modifiable risk...

Two Bendlin lab members earned their PhDs last month after they defended their theses in virtual dissertation defense presentations. Both Jack Hunt and Nick Vogt are in the University of Wisconsin Medical Scientist Training Program, which provides integrated graduate training in scientific research and clinical medicine, leading to a combined MD-PhD degree.

Jack Hunt

"Using Fragile X Syndrome Stem Cells as a Drug Discovery Platform and Investigating the Role of Neighborhood Disadvantage in Neurodegeneration and...

A recent study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing and College of Engineering found that the terminology caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (AD) use to describe symptoms of AD differs greatly from the terminology clinicians use. The study focuses specifically on symptoms of AD, known as neuropsychiatric symptoms, which include symptoms such as depression, apathy, delusions, hallucinations, agitation, and aggression, among others. "Nomenclature Used by Family Caregivers to Describe...

We all need to stay active while we shelter-at-home during COVID-19. This is very important for both physical and mental health wellness. Staying active can help alleviate stress, lower blood pressure, and aid in the improvement of mood and a better night’s sleep. In light of the changes COVID-19 has placed on society, this may have become more difficult for some people (especially those of us who have had our gym memberships put on hold). It...

In research, it is understood that neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease are a result of more than just genetics. Even amongst genetically identical twins, the age of onset of Alzheimer’s disease can vary greatly. Clinically, there’s been up to a documented 18-year difference of onset between twins.

Barabara Bendlin, PhD, an Alzheimer's disease researcher at UW-Madison, is interested in the environmental aspects of risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. One area Bendlin is studying...