In part two of BrainStorm sleep and Alzheimer's series, host Meryl Comer speaks with Erik K. St. Louis, M.D, M.S., Co-Director of the Center for Sleep Medicine and Director of the Mayo Sleep Behavior and Neurophysiology Research Laboratory, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. St. Louis gets down to the basics of the sleep-brain connection and the science behind it.  In this episode, learn how to create the best environment for sleep.

To watch The National Alzheimer's Virtual Summit go to AlzSummit.org  to see recorded sessions. 

People of all ages worry about not getting enough sleep, and yet many don’t mention it as a concern to their doctor. When it comes to brain health, how important IS a good night’s sleep?

In this episode of BrainStorm, host Meryl Comer speaks with Erik K. St. Louis, M.D, M.S., Co-Director of the Center for Sleep Medicine and Director of the Mayo Sleep Behavior and Neurophysiology Research Laboratory, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. St. Louis gets down to the basics of the sleep-brain connection and the science behind it.  In part one of our two-part series on sleep, learn why people experience more sleep problems as they and how to measure a good night’s sleep.

Dr. St. Louis’ class on learning to prioritize sleep can be found at UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Brain Health Academy. To register for his class and learn more about Brain Health Academy, go to https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/brain-health-academy.

To register for National Alzheimer's Virtual Summit go to AlzSummit.org and attend for free.  

In part 2 of BrainStorm, Nutrition and Alzheimer's,  host Meryl Comer continues to speak with Ayesha Z. Sherzai, MD, MAS, Vascular Neurologist, Research Scientist and Dean Sherzai, MD, PhD, MPH, MAS, Behavioral Neurologist / Neuroscientist; and Co-directors of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University. This dynamic husband and wife duo lead the largest clinical and observational study on Alzheimer's. Their book “The Alzheimer’s Solution” on the brain-food connection  shows how to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s with a healthy diet.

Go to https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/brain-health-academy to register for Team Sherzai's class on Brain Healthy Living to Improve Cognitive Function at UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Brain Health Academy, and to learn more about the Brain Health Academy.

Poor nutrition is a major health problem that affects every part of the body, including the brain. It is among the top risk factors for dementia. 

In this episode of BrainStorm, host Meryl Comer speaks with Ayesha Z. Sherzai, MD, MAS, Vascular Neurologist, Research Scientist and Dean Sherzai, MD, PhD, MPH, MAS, Behavioral Neurologist / Neuroscientist; and Co-directors of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University. This dynamic husband and wife duo lead the largest clinical and observational study on Alzheimer's. Their book “The Alzheimer’s Solution” on the brain-food connection  shows how to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s with a healthy diet. 

Their class on brain healthy living to improve cognitive function at UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Brain Health Academy .To register for their class and learn more about Brain Health Academy, go to https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/brain-health-academy.

BrainStorm Episode 23: Glenda Wrenn Gordon, MD, MSHP – The Power of Telehealth 

If necessity is the mother of invention, then the pandemic has created a wealth of opportunities for people looking to address some of the nation’s most pressing challenges, including brain and mental health. 

In this episode of BrainStorm, host Meryl Comer speaks with Dr. Glenda Wrenn Gordon, President of Mindoula Clinical Services, about the power of telehealth and the important role of technology in early detection of dementia and caregiver support. 

One such tool is BrainGuide by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, a web-based questionnaire that allows you to check in on your brain health, or that of a loved one, and provides you with customized resources based on your results. Learn more at mybrainguide.org.

The global pandemic brought issues of diversity and equity in healthcare to the forefront. By 2030, nearly 40 percent of all Americans living with Alzheimer’s will be Black or Latino. Latinos are 1.5 times as likely as non-Hispanic Whites to develop Alzheimer’s. 

In this episode, BrainStorm host Meryl Comer speaks with Dr. Jane Delgado, President and Chief Executive Officer of The National Alliance for Hispanic Health and author of the book series, The Buena Salud® Guides and The Latina Guide to Health. 

Listen as Dr. Delgado shares how diversity in equity is about seeing everyone, and what is being missed when the health profile of black and brown communities are lumped together to evaluate current models of health and risk factors.

After the episode, learn more about UsAgainstAlzheimer’s equity work at https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/health-disparities-race-and-alzheimers

The Alzheimer's journey can range from three to twenty-plus years. Typically, people living with late-stage Alzheimer's or another dementia decline to a point when they are no longer able to communicate. But for some, after years of relative silence, they can suddenly communicate coherently, even if only for a short period of time. This phenomenon is called paradoxical lucidity in dementia. 

In this episode of BrainStorm, Meryl Comer speaks with Dr. Joan M. Griffin, Professor of Health Services Research at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Consultant at the Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery at the Mayo Clinic, about the moments when people in the late stage of Alzheimer’s regain the ability to communicate. Listen as Dr. Griffin’s delves into her landmark study to understand these lucid moments, and how they affect family caregivers. Learn about some triggers and what these moments mean. 

After the episode, learn more about UsAgainstAlzheimer’s A-LIST®, an online community where people with dementia, caregivers and anyone interested in brain health come together to better understand the experience of living with the disease, caring for a loved one, and how to take care of our brains. Join more than 10,000 A-LIST members answering monthly surveys that help the world know what matters most to us. Sign up at ALIST4research.org.

The Global Be Brain Powerful BrainTrust and U.S. BrainTrust quarterly dialogues are a collaboration between two like-minded initiatives focused on elevating the importance of women's brain and mental health. A recent dialogue explored Alzheimer’s prevention and the role sex and gender play in brain health. 

In this episode of BrainStorm, Mara Hank Moret, Vice Chair of the Global BBP BrainTrust and Honorary President of the Women's Brain Projects in Switzerland talks with Dr. Lisa Mosconi, Director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Program at Weill Cornell Medicine and author of the New York Times bestseller, The XX Brain and the international bestseller Brain Food. Listen as they discuss the importance of stress management and developing healthy routines, particularly for women, prior to menopause. 

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s offers BrainGuide, a platform to help you or a loved one test your memory with customized support resources. Learn more at mybrainguide.org.

The World Health Organization has put brain and mental health at the top of their agenda as a wakeup call to all countries to do a better job supporting their populations. HRH Princess Tatiana, in the midst of the global pandemic, launched BREATHE, a Mindful Mental Health Movement dedicated to raising awareness around mental health and building healthier, more resilient communities.

Host, Meryl Comer, and Princess Tatiana discuss the stunning increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression around the globe. Her organization, BREATHE, has partnered with the Greek government to launch a national campaign “Keep Your Mind on Your Mind” raising awareness and reducing stigma around mental health. Hear Princess Tatiana’s own personal story and why talking about mental health is so important. 

Hear Rudy Tanzi’s inspirational BrainStorm interview referenced in this episode. 

After her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, award-winning writer Amy Bloom faced an unimaginable choice. Her latest nonfiction “In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss”, is a powerful book that probes the unvarnished reality into Alzheimer’s. 

In Part 2 of our interview with author Amy Bloom, host, Meryl Comer, discusses the very personal decision to honor her husband, Brian Amici’s decision to end his life. As Amy experienced there are no options available for Alzheimer’s patients in the United States without risks and legal ramifications. Their decision to go to Switzerland was the only option. 

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s A-LIST® is an online community where people with dementia, caregivers and anyone interested in brain health come together to research the experience of living with the disease, caring for a loved one, and how we take care of our brains. Join more than 10,000 A-LIST members answering monthly surveys letting the world know what matters most to us. Sign up at ALIST4research.org