Ep 105: When Memory Fades - Rethinking Alzheimer's from Diagnosis to Care

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.Host Meryl Comer continues her conversation with Dr. Jason Karlawish, professor of medicine, medical ethics, and neurology at the University of Pennsylvania, about the evolving landscape of Alzheimer's disease. Drawing on his book The Problem with Alzheimer's, Dr. Karlawish explores the promise of early detection, the ethical complexities of disclosing uncertain diagnoses, and why he remains skeptical that an outright cure is on the near horizon — famously comparing it to planning retirement with a lottery ticket. The conversation moves into the deeply human side of the disease, touching on caregiving as a form of "mind support," the role families play in both enabling and delaying diagnosis, and the exciting potential of smartphones and smart home technologies to transform care. Dr. Karlawish shares a candid reflection on what gives him hope and what keeps him up at night. This episode is a thoughtful, unflinching look at a disease that is best understood as a "complex tragedy."Support the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.What happens when your carefully mapped career path collides with an Alzheimer's diagnosis — and you're only 26? In this deeply personal episode of BrainStorm by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, host Meryl Comer sits down with Jessica Guthrie, founder of the online platform Career and Caregiving Collide, whose life changed forever when her mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's in 2014.Jessica shares what it means to be a young Black professional thrust into the role of long-distance caregiver — navigating a healthcare system that often didn't listen, workplaces that weren't designed with caregivers in mind, and support spaces where she was frequently the youngest and only Black person in the room. Rather than suffering in silence, she turned her experience into a growing online community where caregivers across generations find connection, validation, and practical wisdom.Meryl and Jessica unpack the hidden barriers facing Black families seeking an Alzheimer's diagnosis, the toll caregiving takes on career ambitions and financial security, and why the people who show up at diagnosis often disappear years down the road.This is conversation for anyone who has ever had to choose between their dreams and their family.Support the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.Alzheimer's disease is no longer just a memory problem — it's a biological, cultural, and ethical challenge reshaping how we think about aging, identity, and medicine. In this episode of Brainstorm by UsAgainstAlzheimers, host Meryl Comer sits down with Dr. Jason Karlawish, professor of medicine, medical ethics, health policy, and neurology at the University of Pennsylvania. They explore how Alzheimer's evolved from a rare condition into a full-blown public health crisis. Dr. Karlawish unpacks the science behind biomarker testing and early detection, the promise and complexity of new anti-amyloid treatments, and why so many physicians remain reluctant to diagnose cognitive decline at all. From health equity gaps that leave Latino and African American patients chronically underserved, to the ethical weight of disclosing an Alzheimer's diagnosis to someone still in the middle of their career, Dr. Karlawish brings both scientific precision and moral seriousness to one of medicine's most urgent conversations. It's a candid, wide-ranging discussion about what it truly means to confront a disease that strikes at the heart of who we are. You don’t want to miss this episode!Produced by Susan QuirkSupport the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.In honor of Black History Month, this episode of BrainStorm by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s explores the critical intersection of Alzheimer's disease and health equity in African-American communities. Host Meryl Comer talks with Daphne Delgado, Vice President for Health Equity at UsAgainstAlzheimer's, and Dr. Charlene Whitaker-Brown, a clinical nursing professor and 2022 Brain Health Equity Nurse Fellowship graduate. They discuss the stark disparities facing Black Americans—who are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's yet 35% less likely to receive timely diagnosis. Dr. Whitaker-Brown shares her powerful journey from experienced nurse to full-time caregiver, and how the fellowship transformed her ability to serve her community through culturally tailored outreach in churches, workshops, and community centers.  The conversation emphasizes the vital role nurses play as trusted frontline educators in promoting brain health, addressing stigma, and connecting families to essential resources. This is a must listen episode!Produced by Susan QuirkSupport the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.This episode of BrainStorm, by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, features host Meryl Comer interviewing Leah Fisher, a psychotherapist and author who took a bold year-long solo travel sabbatical at age 60 to explore different cultures while maintaining her marriage. The conversation takes a poignant turn as Fisher reveals that after the events in her book, she received an MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) diagnosis with elevated Alzheimer's risk. She candidly shares her journey of recognizing early symptoms like misplacing car keys and developing aphasia, the validation that came with diagnosis, and her current experience living with uncertainty about disease progression. Fisher offers insights on how couples cope with health diagnoses, the importance of curiosity over avoidance, and her desire to be treated with patience, kindness, and continued love as she faces an uncertain future. This conversation is essential listening for family members, caregivers, and anyone navigating aging and brain health. Produced by Susan QuirkSupport the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.BrainStorm guest Vradenburg, Chairman and Founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer's, sits down with host Meryl Comer for a comprehensive look at the state of Alzheimer's research, advocacy, and care in 2025.Vradenburg addresses critical challenges facing the Alzheimer's community, including threats to NIH funding and the impact of funding instability on researchers and clinical trials. The discussion covers key advocacy efforts like the CHANGE Act and ASAP Act, which aim to make cognitive checkups and blood-based diagnostic tests more accessible through Medicare coverage. Vradenburg also highlights UsAgainstAlzheimer's expanding initiatives, from the BrainGuide platform offering direct-to-consumer cognitive assessments to educational programs training healthcare professionals on brain health.Looking forward, Vradenburg makes a bold prediction: within the next decade, we could see preventive treatments for Alzheimer's, potentially including a vaccine. This episode offers both a candid assessment of current challenges and an optimistic vision for the future of Alzheimer's prevention and treatment. This is a must listen episode!Produced by Susan Quirk and Amber RonigerSupport the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.Ep 99: The Future of Alzheimer's Trials: AI, Biomarkers, and Remote Research – John Dwyer, CEO of The Global Alzheimer’s PlatformIn part 2 John Dwyer, CEO of the Global Alzheimer's Platform (GAP), and BrainStorm host Meryl Comer discuss transforming Alzheimer's research and clinical trials. Dwyer shares how the field is shifting toward earlier intervention and leveraging artificial intelligence to improve trial efficiency and accuracy. AI can help identify subtle disease patterns and ensure trials enroll appropriate candidates. GAP is also pioneering remote, decentralized trials that bring research into patients' homes rather than requiring frequent clinic visits, aiming to dramatically scale up participation.Dwyer also highlights proven lifestyle interventions that support cognitive health alongside pharmaceutical treatments and suggests multiple treatment approaches may soon be available.This episode of BrainStorm is sponsored by Johnson & JohnsonSupport the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.The quest to speed up clinical trials is personal for John Dwyer, CEO of the Global Alzheimer's Platform (GAP). A long-time UsA2 advocate, he’s been motivated by the generations of family members lost to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Dwyer shares with BrainStorm host Meryl Comer the critical challenges of NIH funding cuts by the Trump Administration, forcing many trial sites to shut down at a time of new FDA-cleared blood tests for early diagnosis.  Dwyer highlights GAP's innovations in improving the participant experience through streamlining visits, personalized feedback, and bringing mobile trials directly to small communities. This must listen episode reinforces clinical trial participation as a valuable care option while advancing research for millions affected by Alzheimer's and related dementias. This episode of BrainStorm is sponsored by Johnson & JohnsonSupport the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.Diane Rehm, the legendary 89-year-old NPR talk show host, discusses her passionate advocacy for medical aid in dying with BrainStorm host, Meryl Comer. Rehm’s view was shaped by her husband John's difficult death from Parkinson's disease and the experience transformed her into a fierce advocate for end-of-life autonomy. She's adamant that if diagnosed with serious illness or early signs of Alzheimer's, she would travel to Switzerland rather than undergo treatment or lose her cognitive capacity, declaring that legislators have "no right to control my decision as to when I die."Despite confronting these weighty topics, Diane exemplifies what researchers call a "superager"—maintaining remarkable physical and cognitive health through decades of Pilates, a disciplined diet, active social engagement, and continued work. She also reflects on her storied broadcasting career, lamenting how modern media has become siloed and less committed to presenting multiple perspectives, while emphasizing her core philosophy that "a talk show should really be called a listening show"—valuing ordinary people's voices as much as those of distinguished leaders.Support the show

BrainStorm wants to hear from you! Send us a text.Dr. Rachel Buckley discusses the critical link between menopause and Alzheimer's risk in women with BrainStorm host Meryl Comer. Dr. Buckley explains that early menopause can be associated with faster cognitive decline and higher tau levels in the brain. She emphasizes the importance of timing for hormone replacement therapy and how estrogen plays a vital role in brain health through receptors that regulate communication between brain regions and mood. Dr. Buckley advocates for proactive conversations with doctors starting at age 40, midlife cognitive checkups around age 55, and better sex-specific reporting in clinical trials, noting that recent Alzheimer's treatments showed dramatically different results in men (42% benefit) versus women (12% benefit). As leader of a Welcome LEAP research team, she's working to cut women's lifetime Alzheimer's risk in half within three years, representing a new wave of prevention-focused research that coincides with the critical menopause transition period. This is a must listen episode!Support the show