University of Wisconsin–Madison

Tackling Stigma and Alzheimer’s Disease within the AAPI Community

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Vince Tien and Dr. Dung Trinh join the podcast to discuss the many ways Alzheimer’s disease affects the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community. Vince Tien and Dr. Trinh both work as part of 360 Clinic, a multi-specialty medical group focused on telehealth services. With their experience in healthcare and telehealth services amidst the pandemic, Tien and Dr. Trinh describe the barriers and stigma that discourage the AAPI community from seeking help for dementia and the ways that we can dismantle those barriers. 

Guests: Vince Tien, co-founder, CEO, 360 Clinic, and Dung Trinh, MD, chief medical officer, 360 Clinic

Creative Care: The Power of Imagination in Dementia Caregiving

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What would happen if caregiving strategies were inspired by wonder rather than memory? That’s what Dr. Anne Basting, founder and president of the nonprofit TimeSlips, asked when she began her research into how the arts could be integrated into dementia caregiving. Basting joins the podcast to discuss her caregiving approach rooted in creative engagement and imagination. From storytelling to beautiful questions to performance, Basting describes a new way of caregiving that helps caregivers and families meet patients and loved ones where they’re at to have meaningful connections and spark joy in the later years of life.

Guest: Anne Basting, PhD, professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, founder and president of TimeSlips, author of Creative Care

Better Now than Never: Quit Smoking to Reduce Your Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease

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Researchers have produced many studies on how smoking affects parts of the body, such as the lungs or heart, but what about the brain? In today’s podcast, Adrienne Johnson, PhD, discusses her research on cigarette smoking and risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. As part of a 2021 study, she found a person’s risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can be affected by how recently they’ve smoked. Diving into her research, the effects of smoking on different communities, and resources to support current smokers as they quit, Dr. Johnson details the impact of smoking on the brain and her hopes to develop new interventions to motivate smokers to quit for good.

Guest: Adrienne Johnson, PhD, assistant scientist at the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention

Dentistry and Dementia: The Importance of Caring for Oral Health

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Elisa Ghezzi, DDS, PhD, joins the podcast to discuss the importance of maintaining oral health throughout one’s life, and especially as one grows older. Discussing the effects of oral health on our systemic health, oral health’s connection to dysphagia, and how caregivers can help dementia patients care for their teeth, Dr. Ghezzi provides insight on how vital it is to care for our oral health as we age.

Guest: Elisa Ghezzi, DDS, PhD, adjunct clinical assistant professor, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, provider, Voiage Portable Dentistry

Vote for Dementia Matters in the 2021 Podcast Awards!

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Dementia Matters has entered into the 2021 People’s Choice Podcast Awards! If you enjoy our show and want to support us, register and vote before July 31st at www.podcastawards.com, and vote for us under the Health and People’s Choice categories. We, the Dementia Matters team, hope that by participating, we can continue spreading our message and educate new listeners about Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and brain health.

From Studying to Living with Alzheimer‘s Disease: A Conversation with Dr. Daniel Gibbs

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Neurologist and author Daniel Gibbs, PhD, joins the podcast to discuss his recent book, A Tattoo on My Brain, which details his journey from treating Alzheimer’s disease clinically for 25 years to being diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s. Dr. Gibbs discusses early signs he experienced and daily life with the disease, as well as thoughts on the recent FDA-approved treatment aducanumab (marketed as Aduhelm).

Guest: Daniel Gibbs, PhD, neurologist

How Close Are We to Curing Alzheimer’s Disease?

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For our 100th episode of Dementia Matters, Nina Silverberg, PhD, director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRC) Program at the National Institute on Aging (NIA), joins the podcast to offer an overview of the ADRC Program as well as insight into the state of Alzheimer’s Disease research and its future. The NIA funds more than 30 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers across the country, including the Wisconsin ADRC.

Guest: Nina Silverberg, PhD, National Institute on Aging

How to Shape Your Brain Health and Reduce Your Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease

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Neuropsychologist and author Michelle Braun, PhD, joins the podcast to talk about lifestyle changes that can support brain health. “We have the ability to make our brain younger than our chronological age,” she says. Braun shares how and details strategies from her new book, High-Octane Brain: 5 Science-Based Steps to Sharpen Your Memory and Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer’s. Hear about common misconceptions around aging, three possible brain health trajectories, and how to maximize your brain health.

Guest: Michelle Braun, PhD, neuropsychologist and national leader in the field of brain health

Study Finds Air Pollution a Risk Factor for Alzheimer’s Disease

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Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that among older adults with cognitive impairment, the greater the air pollution in their neighborhood, the higher the likelihood of the presence of amyloid plaques in their brain. Lead researcher Leonardo Iaccarino, PhD, details his work examining air pollution and brain health outcomes and discusses possible ways individuals and society can lower the impact of air pollution on Alzheimer’s disease risk. 

Guest: Leonardo Iaccarino, PhD, University of California San Francisco Memory and Aging Center

Managing Inappropriate Sexual Behavior in Alzheimer’s Disease

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Inappropriate sexual behavior is a common yet rarely discussed symptom in individuals with dementia. Author Elizabeth Marcus writes about her personal experience with her father’s behavioral changes in her new book, Don’t Say a Word!: A Daughter’s Two Cents. Elizabeth shares what she learned caring for her father, as well as advice for caregivers responding to the symptoms. Neurologist Dr. Martin Samuels offers background on changes in the brain that can cause inappropriate sexual behavior and other personality shifts that are common in people with dementia.

Guest: Elizabeth Marcus, author; Martin Allen Samuels, MD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Being Patient Translates Alzheimer’s Disease Science for the General Public

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Being Patient is an online news source dedicated to providing research news, caregiver information and resources related to Alzheimer’s disease. Being Patient founder Deborah Kan discusses how her personal experiences led her to develop the website, as well as how online resources and communities can help empower individuals affected by memory loss.

Guest: Deborah Kan, journalist, founder of beingpatient.com

How Society Can Improve Care for People with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias

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Dr. Jason Karlawish discusses society’s role in addressing care for individuals with memory loss, as well as current stigmas around Alzheimer’s disease, Wealthcare, and his cautious optimism for the future of Alzheimer’s disease research and care. This is the final episode in our four-part series with Dr. Karlawish on his new book, The Problem of Alzheimer’s: How Science, Culture, and Politics Turned a Rare Disease Into a Crisis and What We Can Do About It.

Guest: Jason Karlawish, MD, co-director, Penn Memory Center

The Healthcare System’s Role in Alzheimer’s Disease

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Dr. Jason Karlawish joins the podcast for the third installment in our series on his new book, The Problem of Alzheimer’s: How Science, Culture, and Politics Turned a Rare Disease Into a Crisis and What We Can Do About It. In this episode, Dr. Karlawish discusses the healthcare system’s role in Alzheimer’s disease and what it needs to do better to care for individuals with dementia and help them live well.

Guest: Jason Karlawish, MD, co-director, Penn Memory Center

How Culture, Society and Politics Shaped Alzheimer’s Disease Research

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Dr. Jason Karlawish returns to the podcast to continue our discussion on his new book, The Problem of Alzheimer’s: How Science, Culture, and Politics Turned a Rare Disease Into a Crisis and What We Can Do About It. In this episode, Dr. Karlawish discusses pivotal cultural and political moments that influenced Alzheimer’s disease research, as well as the possibilities of drug treatments in the future.

Guest: Jason Karlawish, MD, co-director, Penn Memory Center

The Past, Present and Future of Alzheimer’s Disease Research

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Physician and author Dr. Jason Karlawish joins the podcast for the first installment of a four-part series centered around his new book, The Problem of Alzheimer’s: How Science, Culture, and Politics Turned a Rare Disease Into a Crisis and What We Can Do About It. In the book, Karlawish blends history and science to detail the most important breakthroughs in diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s disease. He also offers an argument for how we can live with dementia and proposes reforms we can make as a society that would give caregivers and patients better quality of life. In this episode, Dr. Chin and Dr. Karlawish discuss Alzheimer’s disease in a historical context and the disease’s changing meaning.

Guest: Jason Karlawish, MD, co-director, Penn Memory Center