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November 2024
A monthly newsletter from the Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology
and Alzheimer's Disease at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
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Feature Article:
A Giving Heart: One Couple's Push for Visibility Amidst a Fight Against FTD
[10 minute read]
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In the News:
What Drugmakers Did Not Tell Volunteers in Alzheimer's Trials
[16 minute read]
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A recent investigation into Alzheimer’s drug trials reveals that some volunteers were not informed of their genetic predisposition to brain injuries, raising ethical concerns about informed consent. The Mesulam Center's Rudolph Castellani, MD, discussed with the New York Times his autopsy findings of a trial participant and the broader implications of transparency in clinical research. | |
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Webinar:
Brain Health, Wellness, and Aging: Hear from the Experts
[55 minute watch]
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In May 2024, Sandra Weintraub, PhD and Molly Mather, PhD, two Mesulam Center faculty members overseeing the Northwestern University SuperAging Program NUSAP), joined the Library of Congress to discuss brain health, the effects of aging, and their research on SuperAging. | | |
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Article:
Social Connections: A Key to Brain Health?
[4 minute read]
Prioritizing social connections may be a powerful addition to the brain health checklist, says Tamar Gefen, PhD, co-director of the Northwestern University SuperAging Research Program (NUSAP). Research now shows that regular social engagement can help preserve brain volume, slow cognitive decline, and lower dementia risk in older adults, adding to the established benefits of healthy eating, exercise, and adequate sleep.
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Podcast:
Exploring the Future of Alzheimer's Research
[57 minute listen]
In this enlightening episode of Research Renaissance, Deborah Westphal speaks with Robert Vassar, PhD, Director of the Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease. Dr. Vassar shares his personal journey into the field of Alzheimer’s research, the evolution of diagnostic tools, and the latest technological breakthroughs in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases.
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Q&A:
Studying the Underlying Neural Mechanisms of Language Impairment
[3 minute read]
Borna Bonakdarpour, MD, is an associate professor of Neurology in the Division of Behavioral Neurology. His laboratory uses multimodal neuroimaging to study the underlying neural mechanisms of language impairment (aphasia) and impairment in other areas of cognition and use this information to develop and evaluate effective treatments for aphasia.
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Webinar:
Diagnosing Primary Progressive Aphasia
[1 hour watch]
With primary progressive aphasia (PPA), problems with language and communication typically deteriorate gradually over time. Initial symptoms are sometimes attributed to anxiety or stress until the ongoing symptoms become disruptive enough to prompt further assessment by a specialist. Marsel Mesulam, MD joined the AFTD to discuss how to diagnose PPA.
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Featured Event:
Alzheimer's Association Caregivers and Professionals Research Symposium
Friday, November 8, 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM
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The Alzheimer's Association Illinois Chapter hosts a Caregivers and Professionals Research Symposium every year in November to honor National Family Caregivers Month – a time to celebrate the contributions of caregivers, increase their awareness and connect them with information and resources. This year's symposium is taking place on Friday, November 8 in the Feinberg Pavilion Conference Center.
The Mesulam Center's Darby Morhardt, PhD, LCSW, is serving on the planning committee, in addition to presentations by Ian Grant, MD and Allison Lapins, MD. Staff members from the Mesulam Center will also be present at the vendor fair.
Registration is now open! Learn more and register below.
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South Loop Memory Cafés
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.
November Theme: Let's Be Thankful
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In-Person: Thursday, November 14, 1–2 PM
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Virtual: Virtual cafés have been cancelled for the rest of the year, in observance on the Winter holidays. We will see you in 2025!
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Music, Movement, & Community
Lorenzo's House presents Music Movement & Community, a free, in-person and hybrid interactive experience where music and expression ignite joy.
Upcoming Sessions:
Saturdays, November 9 (in-person only) and November 23 (hybrid) at the Old Town School of Folk Music.
Questions can be sent to mmc@lorenzoshouse.org.
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Navigating the Holidays with an FTD Diagnosis
Tuesday, November 19, 12:00 PM CT
The changes brought on by an FTD diagnosis can make it difficult to navigate the holidays. We step away from our routines when we travel, adjust to large crowds, and become busier, and that can lead to unsuccessful holiday experiences. Join the AFTD as they share how they have adapted family traditions to enjoy this time of year.
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Heteromeric amyloid filaments of ANXA11 and TDP-43 in FTLD-TDP type C
Authors: Diana Arseni, Takashi Nonaka, Max H Jacobsen, Alexey G Murzin, Laura Cracco, Sew Y Peak-Chew, Holly J Garringer, Ito Kawakami, Hisaomi Suzuki, Misumoto Onaya, Yuko Saito, Shigeo Murayama, Changiz Geula, Ruben Vidal, Kathy L Newell, Marsel Mesulam, Bernardino Ghetti, Masato Hasegawa, Benjamin Ryskeldi-Falcon
Published: Nature, September 11, 2024
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Researchers Geula and Mesulam, along with an international team led by Benjamin Ryskeldi-Falcon from University College London, have discovered a new disease mechanism in dementia. Their study, published in Nature, reveals that a protein called TDP-43, previously thought to be the only harmful factor in a type of dementia known as frontotemporal dementia, is actually bound to another protein called ANNEXIN A11. This is the first time scientists have linked a dementia-causing disease to two proteins connected in this way.
The two proteins specifically target the temporal lobe, the area of the brain important for language and behavior. Patients with this disease might lose the ability to understand words, develop unusual food preferences, lose empathy, and behave in impulsive ways. The link between TDP-43 and ANNEXIN A11 might explain why other TDP-43-related disorders do not affect language or behavior as strongly. Both proteins play a role in RNA movement within cells, which could be why they form this toxic pair in the brain.
| Want to learn more about this and other recent publications from the Mesulam Center? Click here to view all recent publications. | | |
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