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October 6, 2026
Looking at More than Memory: Functional Assessments and Blood Tests for Alzheimer’s Disease in Primary Care
Though new blood-based biomarker tests have made it less expensive, less invasive and more accessible to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, they can’t replace the diagnostic process as a whole. Dr. Eric Widera joins the podcast to discuss the importance of assessing function when making a dementia diagnosis, what functional change can look like and how this kind of assessment can be incorporated into primary care practice, as well as debate how Alzheimer’s disease blood tests should be used in primary care.
September 22, 2026
Examining Environmental Risk Factors’ Effects on Cognition
New research is looking at the effects of environmental factors on the brain as we age. Dr. Kathryn Conlon joins the podcast to discuss how factors like air pollution and lead exposure can affect cognition and overall brain health. She highlights how pollution affects both semantic and episodic memory as well as strategies for protecting brain health against these pollutants.
Guest: Kathryn Conlon, PhD, MPH, associate professor, University of California Davis
September 8, 2026
Blood Tests and Brain Scans and Biomarkers, Oh My! How Biomarkers are Changing Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Trials
In recent years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved new biomarker tools for Alzheimer’s disease, including blood tests and tracers for brain scans. How are these tools used in research to help develop new Alzheimer’s treatments? Dr. Henrik Zetterberg returns to the podcast to discuss how blood tests, brain scans and other biomarker developments are transforming clinical trials and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions ahead of his upcoming Healthy Living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) event.
Guest: Henrik Zetterberg, MD, PhD, professor of neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, visiting professor, University of Wisconsin Madison and University College London, Biomarker Core co-leader, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
August 25, 2026
New Alzheimer’s Association Special Report Breaks Down How Americans Understand and Support their Brain Health
In recent years, public interest in brain health has increased. So how are Americans understanding brain health information and incorporating it into their own lives? This year, the Alzheimer’s Association released a special report focused on how people understand and support brain health throughout their lives, covering topics like how they perceive cognitive health, the importance of lifestyle behaviors and more. Dr. Heather Snyder from the Alzheimer’s Association joins us on the podcast to analyze this report and share her insights, as well as share updates from the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC).
Guest: Heather M. Snyder, PhD, senior vice president, medical & scientific relations, Alzheimer’s Association
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