By Meghan McCarthy Editor’s Note: In light of the 2024 PennAITech Symposium, this article is a part of ongoing coverage on the intersection of technology and dementia. Since its debut in 2022, the concept of ChatGPT has sparked discussions within the medical community. Perhaps you’ve heard of comparison between the technology’s bedside manner versus doctors or differences between physician discharge instructions versus ChatGPT. While these studies offer intriguing insights, for many members of the public the primary value of ChatGPT actually lies in its ability to answer short questions.  ..read more

By Meghan McCarthy Editor’s Note: In light of the 2024 PennAITech Symposium, this article is a part of ongoing coverage on the intersection of technology and dementia. When Adrienne Russin’s husband began showing signs of dementia, she was at a loss. Living in a rural area of central Pennsylvania, Adrienne didn’t have access to resources to support her husband or herself. Unaware of the Penn Memory Center (PMC) or similar institutions, the family struggled without adequate support as his condition worsened six years ago. “Roughly 20 years ago, I was the primary caregiver for my mother, who had ..read more

By Meghan McCarthy  Leer en españo Editor’s Note: In light of the 2024 PennAITech Symposium, this article is a part of ongoing coverage on the intersection of technology and dementia.  It is estimated that up to 82 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have type 2 diabetes.   The relationship between AD and diabetes is complex. Elevated blood sugar can increase heart disease risk, which may damage blood vessels in the brain. Fluctuating blood sugar and insulin levels may also contribute to cognitive decline. High blood sugar also causes inflammation, which could d ..read more

Por Meghan McCarthy y traducido por Andrew Beltran y María Valero de Clemente  Read in English Se estima que hasta un 82 por ciento de las personas con Alzheimer tienen diabetes tipo 2.   La relación entre Alzheimer y diabetes es compleja. Un nivel elevado de azúcar en la sangre puede aumentar el riesgo de enfermedad cardíaca, lo que puede dañar los vasos sanguíneos del cerebro. La fluctuación de los niveles de azúcar e insulina en la sangre también puede contribuir al deterioro cognitivo. Un nivel alto de azúcar en la sangre también puede causar inflamación, lo que podría dañar ..read more

By Meghan McCarthy Editor’s note: Names have been changed to protect PMC patient privacy. We sincerely thank the family involved in sharing their story with our community. Fourteen years ago, Eleanor left her house with a simple afternoon stroll in mind. After the passing of her beloved husband, walks around her gated community were a boost to her daily routine. Hours later, her daughter, Molly, called Eleanor’s home phone and couldn’t reach her. “Because she was my father’s caregiver, she always answered her cell phone,” explained Molly. “When I called and asked where she was, she said ‘Oh, I ..read more

By Meghan McCarthy Depending on where you’re from, phrases and sayings differ. The preference for calling something soda versus pop, hoagie versus sub, bubbler versus water fountain are classic examples that often reflect the state in which one was raised. Beyond geographical differences, sayings can vary based on racial and ethnic backgrounds. For instance, Black English, a social dialect with unique expressions and grammar rules, is often used in informal conversations among Black Americans. When studying speech, these different dialects have an impact on understanding data. After generating ..read more

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has postponed its decision on the Alzheimer’s drug donanemab, which was expected by the end of March. Instead, the FDA will ask an independent panel of experts to review questions about the drug. Eli Lilly and Company, the drug’s manufacturer, confirmed this development. The FDA’s request for an advisory committee follows a longer than expected wait for a decision that was expected by the end of 2023 and then sometime in the first quarter of 2024. The published and presented data on donanemab describe a drug that’s much like lecanemab, an e ..read more

By Judy George, MedPage Today The 2024 ballot may have the oldest pairing of presidential candidates, with President Joe Biden at age 81 and former President Donald Trump at age 77. Each candidate has publicly shown moments of forgetfulness in recent weeks, but what that means isn’t clear. The failure to remember a specific event or date may or may not point to cognitive problems, maintains geriatrician Jason Karlawish, MD, co-director of the Penn Memory Center at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and author of The Problem of Alzheimer’s: How Science, Culture, and Polit ..read more

For a translated version of this article, please click here. By Meghan McCarthy  As the Penn Memory Center (PMC) continues to develop new research opportunities for Latinos in Philadelphia, it has a new coordinator dedicated to these efforts: Andrew Beltran.  Latinos are developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) at a rate higher than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And yet they are frequently underrepresented in research.   Starting with the hire of Beltran, PMC is building ..read more

Por Meghan McCarthy  A medida que el Penn Memory Center (PMC) continúa desarrollando nuevas oportunidades de investigación para los latinos en Filadelfia, le presentamos a un nuevo coordinador dedicado a estos esfuerzos: Andrew Beltrán.  Según el Instituto Nacional sobre el Envejecimiento (NIA, por sus siglas en inglés), los latinos están desarrollando la enfermedad de Alzheimer y demencias relacionadas a un ritmo más alto que cualquier otro grupo racial o étnico en los Estados Unidos. Sin embargo, con frecuencia no están representadas en la investigación. Comenzando con la contratac ..read more