In honor of black history month, BrainStorm looks at the future through a societal lens as the US population transitions to minority majority.  Dr. Pernessa Seele, founder and CEO of The Balm in Gilead and longtime public health advocate, talks about the public health implications of this shift. Host, Meryl Comer, and Dr. “P” discuss the burden, impact and reality of stigma. With three decades of training and services to prevent disease and improve the health status of people of African descent, she is well aware of the hurdles to overcome and undo the stigma. 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal health insurance program for people 65 plus, announced its decision to deny covering Biogen’s Aduhelm and all future anti-amyloid treatments under what is known as a Coverage with Evidence Development (CED).  What does this first-round decision mean? 

BrainStorm host, Meryl Comer, and guest, Stephanie Monroe, Executive Director of AfricanAmericansAgainstAlzheimer's and Co-Director of the Center for Brain Health Equity discuss the underlying issues that she calls discriminatory, particularly for communities of color.  

Russ Paulsen, Chief Operating Officer at UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, offers a statement on why UsAgainstAlzheimer’s opposes the CMS decision and provides a statement explaining what this means for those living with Alzheimer’s. 

The proposed National Coverage Determination is open to public comment for 30 days (until Feb 9). A final decision will be announced in April. 

The excitement of a new year brings with it an opportunity to reset our priorities. And what could be more important than taking care of your brain? Laura D Baker, PhD and professor at Wake Forest School of Medicine, shares her research on Alzheimer’s prevention and improving brain health. 

Learn how lifestyle interventions and self-care may protect us against cognitive decline, and hear Dr. Baker’s top 4 lifestyle interventions for a healthier mind and body.

Families are complicated. Dale Atkins, PhD, author of “The Kindness Advantage”, talks with Meryl Comer about how to manage stress with family, particularly in the Alzheimer’s community. In this episode of BrainStorm, learn how to prepare family members for the changes in loved ones living with Alzheimer’s or dementia and learn to engage with them in new and different ways. Dr. Adkins gives advice on reading your own stress cues and strategies for difficult moment with family members. To help with caregiver stress be a good listener, keep as healthy as possible and “park the past” to find balance in your life as recommended by Dr. Adkins.

This SPECIAL EDITION of BrainStorm gives voice to those living with dementia. Hear from three individuals: journalist, Greg O'Brien, The Very Reverend Tracey Lind, and advocate for the Latino Community, Daisy Duarte. Each refuse to let their diagnosis or risk for Alzheimer's define them and have become their own best advocate for change.
 
This special episode celebrates the 5th anniversary of UsAgainstAlzheimer's A-LIST, an online community of 10,000—where people with Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias, or mild cognitive impairment, as well as family caregivers and people interested in brain health—come together to research the experience of living with this disease and caring for a loved one. We call it the science of us. Hear host, Meryl Comer, and guest, Virginia Biggar, Executive Director of Communities, discuss the A-LIST data and what matters most to the Alzheimer's community. 

Join the A-LIST at AList4research.org.

Patti Davis, daughter of President Ronald Reagan and author of Floating in the Deep End shares her experience as an Alzheimer’s caregiver, sheds light on her family’s experience with AD, and offers insights for dementia caregivers. 

Three former U.S. Surgeons General - Dr. Richard Carmona, Dr. Jocelyn Elders, and Dr. David Satcher have been trailblazers in standing up against systemic racism and health care inequity throughout their careers. For Dr. Satcher and Dr. Elders, their connection to Alzheimer’s is very personal. 

In this episode of BrainStorm, listen to these Surgeons General talk about communities with higher incidences of Alzheimer’s, trying to move the needle toward health equity, and the importance of brain health.

Are we ready to end Alzheimer's? Hell no. That is the view of George Vradenburg, chairman and co-founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, as he talks about the progress made to end Alzheimer’s during his opening remarks of our 2021 National Alzheimer’s Summit.

But he's not giving up and neither is UsAgainstAlzheimer's. Hope is finally here in the fight against Alzheimer's disease, but more work remains before we are ready to end this disease. In this episode of BrainStorm, listen to George Vradenburg's assessment of where we are and where we need to be in this fight. Hear stories from care partners and those living with the disease about the value of research and how their needs and insights guide UsAgainstAlzhiemer’s advocacy with policymakers.

BrainStorm by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s airs on the first and third Tuesday of each month. 

Co-Authors Daniel R. George, PhD, MSc, medical anthropologist and Associate Professor at Penn State College of Medicine and Peter J. Whitehouse, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology at Case Western Reserve University and professor of medicine at University of Toronto discuss their book, "American Dementia: Brain Health in an Unhealthy Society". In this episode of BrainStorm, Meryl Comer's conversation with the authors covers the persisting inequalities in brain health and ageist tendencies in our culture. They discuss how local communities can rise above the disconnect and loneliness and come together to care for struggling neighbors. Listen in to hear what Drs. Whitehouse and George believe is the "game-changer" in this fight against Alzheimer's.

BrainStorm by UsAgainstAlzheimer's launched on World Alzheimer's Day with guest Dr. Rudy Tanzi, a recognized rock star in AD research who discovered the three genes associated with early-onset Alzheimer’s and is a staunch proponent of prevention. In this episode, host Meryl Comer helps people understand the importance of knowing all the signs and symptoms so we can get the right diagnosis and support. Learn what Dr. Tanzi believes is the "game-changer" in this fight against Alzheimer's.