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[2 minute watch]
Former talk show host Wendy Williams announced on February 22 that she has been diagnosed frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a progressive disorder that makes it difficult for a person to understand and express language. Sandra Weintraub, PhD discusses common symptoms of FTD and PPA.
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[7 minute read]
Robert Vassar, PhD, director of the Mesulam Center, shares his journey from groundbreaking discoveries in molecular genetics to leading the charge against Alzheimer's. With FDA-approved treatments and cutting-edge research, his goal is simple — to make dementia just a memory.
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You are invited to join us for the 30th Annual Alzheimer Day, taking place in-person on Friday, May 3 in the Feinberg Pavilion Conference Center. Northwestern Alzheimer Day was established to showcase Alzheimer’s-related dementia and aging research conducted throughout Northwestern and to bring this information to the community.
Attendee registration opens to the general public on Wednesday, February 28, but subscribers of Connections can register early! Click the link below for your chance to be one of the first people to register! Space is limited, register early.
Interested in sponsoring this year's event? Visit our website or view our sponsorship packet to learn more. The deadline for Sponsorship Applications is Friday, March 8.
Questions about Alzheimer Day? Email mesulam-center@northwestern.edu.
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South Loop Memory Cafés: Happy St. Pats!
The South Loop Village Memory Cafés are free in-person and virtual monthly social gathering for persons living with dementia and their family, friends, and care partners. View upcoming virtual and in-person meeting dates.
In-Person: Thursday, March 14, 1–2 PM
Virtual: Tuesday, March 26, 2–3 PM
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Music Movement & Community
1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month,
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Lorenzo's House presents Music Movement & Community, a free, in-person interactive experience where music and expression ignite joy. This is an inclusive and stimulating learning environment of personal connection and fun for families living with younger-onset dementia.
February Sessions:
Wednesdays, March 6 and March 20 at Bright Star Church Sanctuary
Click here to register. Questions can be sent to mmc@lorenzoshouse.org.
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A Night with Northwestern in Pheonix: "Music and Medicine"
Saturday, March 2
The Northwestern Alumni Association, in partnership with the Bienen School of Music and Feinberg School of Medicine, invites you to A Night with Northwestern: “Music and Medicine" at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona.
Learn about the effect that music has on your health throughout your life from a panel of experts from Northwestern, including the Mesulam Center's Borna Bonakdarpour. Learn more and RSVP by February 29.
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Release the Silence Conference
Saturday, April 7, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Join the Alzheimer's Association Illinois Chapter for the second annual African American Conference, Release the Silence: RACE into Action. During the conference, attendees will get to hear about the latest treatments, learn how to pay for care, and have the opportunity to share their voices in breakout sessions with leaders in the industry.
Learn more and register.
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This paper looks at an occurrence that Borna Bonakdarpour, MD observed at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. It discusses how the individual presented symptoms, had cognitive testing, a neurological check-up, imaging results, and an eventual diagnosis of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). In this particular instance, the person initially showed changes in judgment and insight, but their cognitive abilities remained intact during testing. Lapins and Bonakdarpour also emphasize the significance of practicing gun safety when working with individuals living with dementia.
Authors: Allison Lapins, Borna Bonakdarpour
Published: Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, October 31, 2023
| Want to learn more about this and other recent publications from the Mesulam Center? Click here to view all recent publication. | |
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Immune Genes Are Altered in Alzheimer’s Patients’ Blood
[2 minute read]
A new study has found the immune system in the blood of Alzheimer’s patients is epigenetically altered, and many of these altered genes are the same ones that increase an individual’s risk for Alzheimer’s.
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What to Know About Brain Health as You Age
[8 minute watch]
As questions about age and cognitive function have once again surfaced in the presidential race, Molly Mather, PhD discusses what you should know about brain health.
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Posterior Cortical Atrophy Is a Form of Young-Onset Alzheimer’s
[6 minute read]
Clinicians, led by Gil Rabinovici at UCSF, found that a rare type of early-onset dementia called posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is usually linked to Alzheimer's disease. This form of dementia affects how people see and process things and often starts around age 60, particularly in women, with challenges in getting a correct diagnosis, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness among eye-care specialists and neurologists. Marsel Mesulam spoke on the significance of this paper and their findings.
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Alzheimer’s drug discontinued: What that means for treatment options
[3 minute watch]
On January 31, 2024, Biogen announced that they will be discontinuing production of their controversial Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm, less than 3 years after receiving FDA approval. Ian Grant, MD spoke to WGN about the discontinuation of the drug and alternative medication options, such as Lecanemab, which has shown a 27-28% slowing of cognitive decline in studies.
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