ADRC News

Individuals with elevated levels of amyloid and tau proteins in the brain exhibited a cognitive decline rate three times faster than those with just one or no elevated biomarker levels, according to a study from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Amyloid and tau are measurable substances in the brain that are biological markers (or biomarkers for short) for Alzheimer’s disease.

The study, “Amyloid and tau imaging biomarkers explain cognitive...

Our free series of Get Movin' exercise classes have moved online. Classes are taught by personal trainer Venus Washington. You can join classes from home through the Venus Inspires personal trainer Facebook page, the Foundation for Black Women's Wellness Facebook page, or the Venus Inspires YouTube Channel. Keep your body moving!

With the arrival of COVID-19 (coronavirus), we are all experiencing many changes in our daily lives. These changes are especially affecting how we shop at the grocery store and how we are eating. Now more than ever, eating healthy is important. 

Healthy eating affects brain health and aids in preventing Alzheimer’s disease. A recommended diet to follow for brain health is the MIND diet. This diet has been associated with postponing the onset of Alzheimer’s...

In times of great pressure comes great innovation. Unfortunately, not all new ideas are used for good. The perfect time for scammers to strike is when people are most vulnerable. The situation that is unfolding with COVID-19 has put the entire world in a place of vulnerability, and scammers want to take advantage of all the uncertainly surrounding this situation.

Seniors are especially susceptible to scams due to their trusting nature and not wanting to...

The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center hosted its annual Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Disorders Research Day on March 5, 2020, at the Discovery Building on the UW-Madison campus. More than 220 scientists and researchers from across campus attended the half-day event. 

The research day poster session included more than 50 poster presentations. The following is a list of poster abstract award winners:

• Best Fellow, Post Doc, or Research Scientist Poster: Taryn James, PhD, “Effects of Menopausal Hormone...

In alignment with University of Wisconsin–Madison campus and U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines related to COVID-19 (coronavirus), the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center has canceled the Research Participant Appreciation Event, originally scheduled for April 25 in Madison, Wisconsin. Event cancelation is part of a larger proactive UW–Madison campus and University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health plan to minimize person-to-person spread of COVID-19 in our community.

In addition, all in-person research visits...

Nathaniel Chin, MD, director of medical services for the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC), shared with TMJ4 News Milwaukee and NBC 15 how NBC’s ‘This is Us’ character’s diagnosis affects his patients. In the show, Mandy Moore’s character Rebecca was diagnosed with MCI, and Chin is grateful that the show is putting a spotlight on this medical issue. 

“Think of MCI as the umbrella term that we will use for someone who has a...

Story updated March 11, 2020

Canceled: Solomon Carter Fuller Brain Health Brunch and Ecumenical Candlelight Service of Remembrance, March 13-14

In alignment with the UW–Madison and CDC guidelines related to COVID-19 (coronavirus), the Solomon Carter Fuller Brain Health Brunch and Ecumenical Candlelight Service of Remembrance, scheduled for March 13 and March 14, have been canceled. The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin, sponsors of the event, will be...

On camera for ABC27/WKOW and News 3/Channel 3000, Amy Kind, MD, PhD, and Barbara Bendlin, PhD, shared their findings from a new study recently published in JAMA Neurology. 

The study “Neighborhood disadvantaged is associated with cerebral and hippocampal volume,” looked at different brain regions associated with memory and compared across individuals without signs of cognitive impairment. The researchers used the Neighborhood Atlas tool to define and localize the relative advantage of different neighborhoods...

Physical exercise is a vital factor in maintaining and improving memory and cognitive performance, and a recent special issue of Brain Plasticity, “Exercise Effects on Cognitive Function in Humans,” explores this connection. Ozioma Okonkwo, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of geriatrics and gerontology, was guest editor for the special issue, and also co-authored an editorial about the published research. 

The issue editorial outlines four research papers and three reviews. Some of...