Minding Memory

Exploring Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and other Types of Dementia

Subscribe:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify
or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Minding Memory with a microphone and a shadow of a microphone on a blue background

Welcome to Minding Memory. In this podcast we discuss topics related to dementia research. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for dementia research, and we have topics for both those new to the space as well as old pros. We start with some basics, like: What exactly is dementia? What are the different types of dementia? What is the TICS, if not a swarm of blood-sucking insects? But we also invite researchers on to discuss their interesting work to give you a glimpse at the questions, data, and methods moving the field forward.

Minding Memory is co-hosted by Matthew Davis and Lauren Gerlach. Matt and Lauren are health services researchers and professors at the University of Michigan. Matt’s PhD is in Data Science and Lauren is a geriatric psychiatrist. The Minding Memory podcast is part of the Center to Accelerate Population Research in Alzheimer’s (CAPRA) at the University of Michigan, supported by the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health. Additional support also comes from the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. The content of this podcast does not represent the views of the National Institutes of Health or the University of Michigan. Please consider subscribing to this podcast and make sure to check out our website. On our website you’ll also find links to the center’s seminar series and data products created specifically for dementia research.

Michigan Medicine is the academic medical center for the University of Michigan. The Minding Memory podcast is part of the Michigan Medicine Podcast Network. You can subscribe to Minding Memory on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Recent Podcasts

See all Minding Memory Podcasts

Minding Memory

Addressing Senior Social Isolation in the Community

In this episode, Matt & Lauren build off their previous conversation with Ashwin Kotwal about social isolation by speaking with Eve Lefkowitz, the Executive Director of the non-profit organization, A Conversation to Remember, which connects older adults – including those who live with cognitive decline – with young adult college students to combat the epidemic of social isolation and loneliness. Lauren & Matt learn about the populations this non-profit serve as well as perspectives on how to address social isolation with older adults.

Minding Memory

The Impact of Social Isolation and Loneliness on Cognitive Health

In this episode we're going to discuss a topic that's increasingly recognized as central to cognitive health and social connection. We'll define what it is and what happens when it's missing. Social isolation and loneliness are now widely discussed as public health concerns, and evidence has really mounted that social disconnection has profound effects on health, including cognitive decline and dementia risk. To help us think through this, we're joined by Dr. Ashwin Kotwal, a geriatrician and health services researcher at UCSF and the director of the Social Connections and Aging Lab. His work examines how social relationships shape aging related outcomes, including cognitive health, disability, and mortality.

Minding Memory

Convoys of Caregiving: Arab American Families Living with Dementia

In this episode, Matt & Lauren speak with Kristine Ajrouch, PhD - a new member of our CAPRA leadership team. Kristine is a Research Professor at the Institute for Social Research whose work focuses on aging, health, immigration and family in the United Statues and the Middle East; social networks over the life course; and Arab American identity and well-being. Kristine discusses a recent article that examined an intervention to improve outcomes among Arab American caregivers who provide care to a family member living with dementia. She also shares what this work teaches us about caregiving as a family system rather than the responsibility of a single individual.

Minding Memory

Neighborhood Income and Cognitive Health

Welcome back to Minding Memory! In today’s episode, Lauren & Matt speak with Dr. Laura Zahodne – a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and an affiliate of the Institute for Social Research. She's a clinical neuropsychologist by training and studies how psychosocial experiences shape late life, cognitive health, and risk of neurodegenerative disease. Also, a new member of our CAPRA leadership team! In this episode, we’ll get to know Laura a little better and talk with her about one of her research studies, the Neighborhood Racial Income Inequality in Cognitive Health, which looks at the association between racial income differences and a variety of cognitive measures.

Minding Memory

An Introduction to the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model of Care

In today’s episode, Matt and Lauren discuss the new CMS GUIDE model for dementia care with Dr. Brystana Kaufman, MSPH, PhD – a health services researcher at the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy at Duke University. The GUIDE model aims to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia by reducing strain on caregivers and enabling individuals to remain in their homes. Brystana talks with the Minding Memory team about a spectrum of topics as related to the GUIDE model including, what motivated CMS to develop and implement the model; what defines a serious illness; how the model supports caregivers; and what an organization needs to have in terms of services in order to participate in the implementation of the GUIDE model. Dr. Kaufman is the co-author of an article in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society titled “GUIDE Dementia Model: Opportunities for Serious Illness Care” which provides additional insight into the model. Brystana Kaufman, PhD, MSPH Faculty Profile Article referenced in this episode: Kaufman BG, Grant M. GUIDE dementia model: Opportunities for serious illness care. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2024 Jun;72(6):1935-1938. doi: 10.1111/jgs.18787. Epub 2024 Feb 5. PMID: 38315037.

Minding Memory

Exposure to a Natural Disaster and Long-term Cognition

In this episode, Matt and Lauren speak with Drs. Elizabeth Frankenberg at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duncan Thomas at Duke University about their research which focuses on understanding how survival and physical health evolve after exposure to large scale shocks like the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami. They will specifically speak about the STAR Study and what they’re learning about long-term effects on cognitive outcomes.

Connect with Michigan Medicine

Michigan Podcast Network

Try our Other Podcasts

The Michigan Medicine Podcast Network brings together a range of podcasts covering everything from health and wellness news and innovative research to how the field of medical education is changing.

Visit the Michigan Medicine Podcast Network

Health Lab Podcast

Health Lab Podcast is your destination for news and stories about the future of healthcare.

Health Lab Podcast

The Fundamentals

Welcome to The Fundamentals, a podcast where we explore biomedical research here at Michigan Medicine–and meet the scientists behind it.

The Fundamentals

Michigan (in blue) Answers (in yellow) on a white background

Michigan Answers Podcast

The Michigan Medicine Podcast Network brings together a range of podcasts covering everything from health and wellness news and innovative research to how the field of medical education is changing.

Michigan Answers Podcast

Breaking Down Mental Health

Breaking Down Mental Health focuses on educating medical professionals about various mental health topics.

Breaking Down Mental Health

Cancer Aware

Knowing and understanding your cancer risk is important. Whether it’s prevention, treatment options, the latest discoveries or news, we’ll help you get Cancer Aware.

Cancer Aware

Michigan Medicine Presents

Welcome to “Michigan Medicine Presents,” a wide-ranging exploration into topics spanning the field of medicine.

Michigan Medicine Presents

Michigan Surgery Sessions

Join hosts from the Michigan Medicine Department of Surgery as they bring you stories about the latest in surgical clinical care, education and more with faculty, residents and medical students.

Michigan Surgery Sessions

Minding Memory

In this podcast we discuss topics related to dementia research. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for dementia research, and we have topics for both those new to the space as well as old pros.

Minding Memory

UMich Med Mosaic

Stories and Insights for Future Medical Students and Anyone Interested in the Human Side of Medicine.

UMich Med Mosaic

Well-Being at Michigan Medicine