Blood Tests and Brain Scans and Biomarkers, Oh My! How Biomarkers are Changing Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Trials

In recent years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved new biomarker tools for Alzheimer’s disease, including blood tests and tracers for brain scans. How are these tools used in research to help develop new Alzheimer’s treatments? Dr. Henrik Zetterberg returns to the podcast to discuss how blood tests, brain scans and other biomarker developments are transforming clinical trials and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions ahead of his upcoming Healthy Living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) event. Guest: Henrik Zetterberg, MD, PhD, professor of neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, visiting professor, University of Wisconsin−Madison and University College London, Biomarker Core leader, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Show Notes Register and learn more about the upcoming Healthy Living with MCI event featuring Dr. Zetterberg, happening on September 11, 2026, and future programs on our website. Register and learn more about the upcoming Fall Community Conversation, happening on September 29, 2026, on our website. Listen to our past episodes with Dr. Zetterberg, “Addressing Cochrane’s Review on Amyloid-Targeting Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease” and “The Future of Fluid Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias,” on our website. Learn more about LATE, mentioned by Dr. Zetterberg at 24:05, by listening to our episode “LATE, Explained” on our website. Read more about the Alzheimer’s disease blood tests recently approved by the U.S. FDA on our website. Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our website. Email Dementia Matters: [email protected] Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter. Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production. Learn about Dr. Chin’s book, When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia.

In recent years, public interest in brain health has increased. So how are Americans understanding brain health information and incorporating it into their own lives? This year, the Alzheimer’s Association released a special report focused on how people understand and support brain health throughout their lives, covering topics like how they perceive cognitive health, the importance of lifestyle behaviors and more. Dr. Heather Snyder from the Alzheimer’s Association joins us on the podcast to analyze this report and share her insights, as well as share updates from the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC).  Guest: Heather M. Snyder, PhD, senior vice president, medical & scientific relations, Alzheimer's Association Show Notes Read the Alzheimer's Association Facts and Figures and their special report, Brain Health in America: Understanding and Supporting Lifelong Cognitive Health, on their website. Learn more about the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on their website.  Read about the LatAm-FINGERS and PROTECT-Cog studies on the AAIC website. Learn about the Alzheimer’s Association’s Brain Health Habit Builder on their website. Learn more about ALZPro, the Alzheimer's Association’s central hub of resources for professionals, mentioned by Dr. Snyder at 25:53 online. Register and learn more about the upcoming Fall Community Conversation, happening on September 29, 2026, on our website. Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our website. Email Dementia Matters: [email protected] Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter. Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production. Learn about Dr. Chin’s book, When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia.

Twenty-five years ago, a single participant enrolled in what would become the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention (WRAP), now one of the largest and longest-running studies of Alzheimer's risk in the world. To celebrate this milestone, we’re joined by Dr. Mark Sager, who co-founded WRAP, along with current multi-principal investigators Dr. Sterling Johnson and Dr. Jessica Caldwell, to discuss how the study has evolved, the discoveries that have reshaped our understanding of Alzheimer's prevention and what the next 25 years may hold for the field.  Guests: Mark Sager, MD, founder, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute (WAI), WRAP, Sterling Johnson, PhD, multi-principal investigator, WRAP, associate director, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, WAI, Jessica Caldwell, multi-principal investigator, WRAP, visiting associate professor, department of neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison Show Notes This episode was uploaded as an exclusive video episode on the Wisconsin ADRC YouTube page on August 12, 2026. Watch the video interview here. Listen to our episode with Dr. Gina Green-Harris, mentioned at 12:27, on our website. Learn more about WRAP on the WRAP website. Learn about Drs. Sager, Johnson and Caldwell at their profiles on the WAI website. Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our website. Email Dementia Matters: [email protected] Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter. Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production. Learn about Dr. Chin’s book, When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia.

Caring for those with dementia represents a major public health challenge, with caregivers, especially spouses, providing long-term, largely unpaid care. With caregiving stress linked to a decline in mental and physical health, it is crucial to understand the complex burden these care partners face in order to  support them. Dr. Donna de Levante Raphael joins the podcast to shed light on the effects of caregiving on the spousal caregiver and share possible interventions and programs to support their needs.  Guest: Donna de Levante Raphael, PhD, gerontologist, director of research, Alzheimer's Foundation of America Show Notes Read Dr. Donna de Levante Raphael’s newly published review, “The Impact of Dementia Caregiving on the Health of the Spousal Caregiver,” on the MDPI website.  Learn more about Dr. Donna de Levante Raphael at her profile on the Alzheimer's Foundation of America website. Learn more about ambiguous loss and anticipatory grief, mentioned by Dr. de Levante Raphael at 34:44, by listening to our past episode, “A Guide to Grief: Strategies for Navigating Loss and Dementia.”  Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our website. Email Dementia Matters: [email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter. Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production. Learn about Dr. Chin’s book, When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia.

Prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs and supplements are incredibly common among older adults, yet many of these routine treatments can unexpectedly impact cognitive function and brain health. To help us safely navigate medication management, Dr. Lauren Welch, a clinical geriatric pharmacy practitioner, joins the podcast to discuss how common drugs affect cognition, the risks of drug-drug interactions, and how families can effectively partner with their health care team to review and de-prescribe medications.  Guest: Lauren Welch, PharmD, BCGP, clinical geriatric pharmacy practitioner, Veterans Affair Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center   Show Notes Learn more about the Wisconsin Pharmacy Quality Collaborative (WPQC) and how to get a physician referral at the Pharmacist Society of Wisconsin’s website. Learn more about the effect of blood pressure control on dementia risk, mentioned by Dr. Welch at 22:50, by listening to our past episode “SPRINT to a Healthy Mind: How Blood Pressure Control Affects Brain Health and Dementia Risk” on our website.   Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our website. Email Dementia Matters: [email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter. Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production. Learn about Dr. Chin’s book, When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia.

Dr. Jessen returns to the podcast to take a deeper dive into subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Aiming to cover everything relating to SCD, Dr. Jessen shares insights in prognosis, risk factors and how SCD should be addressed in research and clinical practice.  Guest: Frank Jessen, MD, professor of psychiatry and psychotherapy, director, department of psychiatry, University of Cologne, clinical board member, Clinical Alzheimer's Research, German Center of Neurodegenerative Disease (DZNE), chair, European Alzheimer’s Disease Consortium (EADC), founder and past chairman, ISTARRT Professional Interest Area on SCD,  SCD-initiative (SCD-I), founder, chair, German Memory Clinic Network (DNG), advisory board, German Alzheimer Association, Hirnliga Show Notes Read Dr. Jessen's study, “The characterisation of subjective cognitive decline,” on the National Library of Medicine website.  Listen to our previous episode with Dr. Jessen, “Defining Subjective Cognitive Decline,” on the Dementia Matters website or wherever you get your podcasts. Read Dr. Jessen’s study, “Longitudinal Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Study (DELCODE),” on the DZNE website. Learn more about Dr. Jessen at his profile on the DZNE website. Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our website. Email Dementia Matters: [email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter. Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production. Learn about Dr. Chin’s book, When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia.

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) can be one of the earliest noticeable signs of Alzheimer's disease, yet SCD is not yet fully understood. To help us understand more, Dr. Frank Jessen, an expert in the field, joins the podcast to discuss how SCD is defined, classified, and evaluated in both clinical and research settings. Guest: Frank Jessen, MD, professor of psychiatry and psychotherapy, director, department of psychiatry, University of Cologne, clinical board member, Clinical Alzheimer's Research, German Center of Neurodegenerative Disease (DZNE), chair, European Alzheimer’s Disease Consortium (EADC), founder and past chairman, ISTARRT Professional Interest Area on SCD, SCD-initiative (SCD-I), founder, chair, German Memory Clinic Network (DNG), advisory board, German Alzheimer Association, Hirnliga Show Notes Read Dr. Jessen's study, “The characterisation of subjective cognitive decline,” on the National Library of Medicine website.  Learn more about Dr. Jessen at his profile on the DZNE website. Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our website. Email Dementia Matters: [email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter. Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production. Learn about Dr. Chin’s book, When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia.  

Geriatrician Dr. Mark Supiano joins the podcast to discuss the connection between heart and brain health. Citing multiple clinical trials, he breaks down what these studies and their findings mean for blood pressure management’s effect on cognitive decline and how they directly impact both patients and clinicians. Guest: Mark A. Supiano, MD, geriatrician, University Hospital Geriatrics Clinic, professor, Internal Medicine, Utah School of Medicine Show Notes Read about the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) Study on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Learn about the SPRINT MIND study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.  Read Dr. Supiano’s study, “Hypertension in the Oldest Old,” published by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Advances on their website. Learn about the HYVET, STEP, SPRINT-HEART and China Rural Hypertension Control Project studies through their articles on the National Library of Medicine website. Learn about an ancillary study to SPRINT, “Changes in arterial stiffness under blood pressure control are independently associated with cognitive impairment,” on the National Library of Medicine website. Learn about the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP) study, published by Clinical and Experimental Hypertension, on the Taylor and Francis Online website. Learn about the ESPRIT study on The Lancet website. Learn more about Dr. Supiano on the University of Utah Health website.   Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our website. Email Dementia Matters: [email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter. Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production. Learn about Dr. Chin’s book, When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia.

Amyloid-targeting monoclonal antibody treatments have ushered in a new era of Alzheimer’s disease therapies after decades of research and clinical trials. A recent review published by Cochrane, a global, independent, non-profit network of researchers, professionals, patients and carers regarded as a gold standard for producing and promoting trusted, high-quality health information, has a different perspective on these therapies. The review found these treatments produce “little to no difference” in cognition and offer few benefits while increasing risks for adverse effects. Drs. Cynthia Carlsson, a clinical trialist, David Wolk, a clinician, and Henrik Zetterberg, a biomarker and disease biology expert, join the podcast to break down the review and their concerns, as well as highlight how this review could impact clinical care, research and public policy. Guests: Cynthia Carlsson, MD, MS, director, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute, Clinical Core leader, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC), Louis A. Holland, Sr., Professor in Alzheimer’s Disease, geriatrician, University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Medicine and Public Health; David Wolk, MD, director, Penn ADRC, co-director, Penn Memory Center, co-director, Penn Institute on Aging, professor of neurology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; and Henrik Zetterberg, MD, PhD, professor of neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, visiting professor, UW–Madison and University College London, Biomarker Core co-leader, Wisconsin ADRC Show Notes Read Cochrane’s review, “Amyloid‐beta‐targeting monoclonal antibodies for people with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease,” on the Cochrane Library website. Learn more about Dr. Carlsson and Dr. Zetterberg at their profiles on the Wisconsin ADRC website and about Dr. Wolk at his profile on the Penn Memory Center website. Watch and listen to Dr. Carlsson’s past episode, “A Closer Look at the Lecanemab Clinical Trials,” on our YouTube channel or on our website. Listen to Dr. Wolk’s past episode, “LATE, Explained,” on our website. Listen to Dr. Zetterberg’s past episode, “The Future of Fluid Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias,” on our website. Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our website. Email Dementia Matters: [email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter. Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production. Learn about Dr. Chin’s book, When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia, out June 2, 2026.

Guest host Dr. Art Walaszek takes over the podcast to interview Dr. Chin about his upcoming book, When Memory Fades. In addition to discussing the importance of dementia research and other clinical topics covered in the book, Dr. Chin shares what drew him to write When Memory Fades, what the writing process was like, and what he hopes readers take away from his story. Guest host: Art Walaszek, MD, geriatric psychiatrist, professor, vice chair for education and faculty development, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Show Notes Learn about and pre-order Dr. Chin’s book, When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer's and Dementia, out June 2, 2026. Learn more about Dr. Chin's book at his upcoming event with Mystery to Me bookstore on June 3, 2026. RSVP to attend in person or watch via livestream. Learn more about Dr. Walaszek at his profile on the Wisconsin ADRC website. Find an Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center near you on the National Institutes on Aging (NIA) website, and find clinical trials at clinicaltrials.gov. Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our website. Email Dementia Matters: [email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter. Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production.