How does Alzheimer’s alter the brain, and how do we create a future without the disease?

Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, threatens to single-handedly collapse our healthcare systems. But our knowledge of how to prevent it is stronger than ever.

In this episode of ‘YOUR BRAIN ON’, we discuss:

• The power of stories and the importance of community for finding comfort and confidence following an Alzheimer’s diagnosis

• What we know about preventing cognitive decline through brain-healthy living

• The neurochemistry of how Alzheimer’s physically changes the brain

• Genetic predisposition to neurodegenerative diseases, and why women have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s

• Why we should approach brain health in the same way we approach heart health

We’re joined by Dr. Lisa Genova, neuroscientist and writer of Still Alice, a book which allows the reader to step into the shoes of a woman experiencing the onset of Alzheimer’s. Still Alice was adapted into a feature film, for which Julianne Moore won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2015. Lisa talks to us about how stories can help us find a sense of hope and empathy in the face of ‘scary’ diagnoses.

Dr. Charles DeCarli, Director of the the University of California Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center, explains a broad range of Alzheimer’s risk factors — from amyloid and tau proteins to cardiovascular diseases — and offers advice on thinking about brain health as part of the body’s wider functionality, not a standalone system.

And Dr. Lisa Mosconi, neuroscientist, educator, and author of The Menopause Brain, highlights how the hormonal shifts caused by menopause contribute to a higher prevalence of Alzheimer’s in women, and unpacks the controversial history and potential future of hormone replacement therapy.