Welcome Message

from Julie Zissimopoulos, Co-Director


I am pleased to update you on news and accomplishments from the Center for Advancing Sociodemographic and Economic Study of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (CeASES ADRD). Last February, we launched our first annual Science of ADRD for Social Scientists workshop. The program introduced 27 social scientists to the biomedical foundation of disease through lectures and one-on-one interactions with leading researchers in the field. I recommend reading this recently published study by center researchers on potential contributions of MRI and blood-based biomarkers for cognitive status classification based on cognitive performance examinations. I invite you to join our network of social scientists informing dementia research by connecting with our center. Please visit our website or contact me at Julie.Zissimopoulos@usc.edu or our Program Administrator, Johanna Thunell, at jthunell@usc.edu.

CeASES ADRD-Supported Research

"In research with Jing Li, we found that reimbursing Medicare providers for advanced care planning services significantly impacted end of life outcomes, particularly among patients with ADRD. ADRD patients receiving advanced care planning services were 25% less likely to die in a hospital, and their medical spending in the last 30 days of life shifted away from intensive hospital care and towards hospice care."

-Alice Chen, PhD

Associate Professor, USC

Pilot PI, CeASES ADRD

2021 Events

Science of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias for Social Scientists. Twenty-seven social scientists learned about the biomedical foundations of ADRD from experts: Maria Carrillo, Alzheimer's Association; David Bennett, Rush; Eileen Crimmins, Sean Curran, Caleb Finch, Elizabeth Joe, and Arthur Toga, USC.


Leveraging Behavioral Sciences for Dementia Care

Featuring Lisa Walke and Joanna Hart, University of Pennsylvania Medicine

Upcoming Events

International Projections of Dementia and Cognitive Decline (March 9, 2022)

Science of ADRD (Fall 2022)

2023/2024 Pilot Call (Fall 2022)

Center News

Mental Disorders May Increase Risk for Subsequent Dementia

Pilot PI, Leah Richmond-Rakerd, and colleagues published a new study in JAMA Psychiatry examining the relationship between mental disorders and dementia later in life.


Understanding Recent Trends in Dementia Prevalence for Older Black and White Americans

On September 10, 2021, Mark Hayward, University of Texas at Austin, presented as part of the Carolina Population Center’s 2021-2022 Interdisciplinary Research Seminar Series.


New USC Study Finds People of Color Live More Years with Dementia Diagnosis than Non-Hispanic Whites

Yi Chen and colleagues recently published a study in the Lancet Regional Health - Americas on racial/ethnic differences in longevity after dementia diagnosis.


Survey Reveals Lack of Understanding and Enthusiasm for New Alzheimer's Disease Therapy, Aducanumab (Aduhelm), Among Older Americans

Julie Zissimopoulos, Mireille Jacobson, and colleagues conducted a survey of over 1,000 persons 55 and older, only 27% reported any knowledge of aducanumab and nearly 2/3 were unsure they would seek cognitive screening in response to its approval.


FDA's Approval of Aducanumab Paves the Way for 'More Momentous' Alzheimer's Breakthroughs

STAT op-ed by Dana Goldman and Darius Lakdawalla argued FDA approval is an important signal showing a willingness to use real-world data to determine the treatment's long-term effectiveness.



Recent Publications

Farina M, Saenz J, Crimmins EM. Potential contributions of MRI and blood‐based biomarkers for cognitive status classification based on cognitive performance examinations. Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2021 Dec;17:e053326.


Hlávka JP, Kinoshita AT, Fang S, Hunt A. Clinical Outcome Measure Crosswalks in Alzheimer’s Disease: A

Systematic Review. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. 2021 Jan 1;83(2):591-608.



Marquez I, Garcia-Cifuentes E, Velandia FR, Iragorri A, Saavedra AM, Borda MG, Osuna M, Ailshire J, Cano-Gutierrez CA. Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome: Prevalence and Cognitive Performance. A cross-sectional study. The Lancet Regional Health-Americas. 2022 Apr 1;8:100162.

Join our Network of over 200 social scientists from 85 institutions

Contact: Julie Zissimopoulos, PhD, Co-Director, Julie.Zissimopoulos@usc.edu

Johanna Thunell, PhD, Program Administrator, jthunell@usc.edu

Executive Committee

Julie Zissimopoulos, PhD, PI, USC

Dana Goldman, PhD, PI, USC

Mark Hayward, PhD, PI, UT Austin

Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD PI, Stanford


Eileen Crimmins, PhD, Core Director, USC

Jennifer Ailshire, PhD, Core Director, USC

Pinchas Cohen, MD, Advisory, USC

Jennifer Manly, PhD, Advisory, Columbia

Hector Gonzalez, PhD, Advisory, UCSD