Health Dementia & Alzheimer’s 11/3/21

The Fight Against Dementia Including Alzheimer’s Disease: Keys to Healthy Brain Aging

Want to know what is the most significant risk factor for development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)? It’s a simple, one-word answer: Aging. Researchers and scientists now know that as we age, our antioxidant and immune defences weaken and we become more susceptible to oxidative stress and inflammation, including inflammation of the brain, a process known as neuroinflammation. We also know that damage to nerve cells caused by oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, along with other factors, can lead directly to deficits in cognitive function or dementia. Join seven faculty members of the Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging (KIHA) for a five-part course on fighting and preventing dementia including AD, plus keys to healthy brain aging. Dr. Lotta Granholm, founding executive director of KIHA, together with a guest lecturer from the Alzheimer’s Association, kick off the course by introducing the biological mechanisms underlying AD and sharing the latest treatments. In session two, Dr. Aurélie Ledreux, an assistant professor, shares ongoing studies focused on identifying novel blood and biomarkers of AD that could help in clinical diagnosis and prognosis of dementia. For session three, Dr. Daniel Linseman, KIHA’s associate executive director, offers new data on nutritional strategies that may decrease the risk of developing AD. In session four, Associate Professor Dr. Sunil Kumar discusses new drug discovery efforts for AD and Dr. Scott Horowitz describes novel interventions that could prevent aggregation of proteins in the brain. Finally, Assistant Professors Dr. Daniel Paredes and Dr. Karen Krukowski introduce artificial intelligence, machine learning and the immune system involvement in AD. “We hope you join us as we delve deeply into the science of AD and provide advice on keeping your brain healthy as you age,” says Granholm.

Five Zoom sessions

Wed., Nov. 3, 10, 17, Dec. 1, 8, 2021, 6:30–8:30 pm MT

ENRICH 0538 / $140

Dr. Lotta Granholm is the founding executive director of the Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging and a research professor at the University of Denver. Dr. Aurélie Ledreux is a research assistant professor at the University of Denver who focuses on healthy aging and blood biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Daniel Linseman is the associate executive director at the Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging and a professor at the University of Denver. Dr. Sunil Kumar is an assistant professor at the University of Denver who specializes in chemical biology, organic chemistry, biophysics and biochemistry. Dr. Scott Horowitz is an assistant professor at the University of Denver whose research focuses on the role of nucleic acids in protein folding and aggregation. Dr. Daniel Paredes is a research assistant professor at the University of Denver who specializes in new therapeutic approaches to target neuroplasticity and regeneration in neurodegenerative disorders. Dr. Karen Krukowski is an assistant professor who researches how adaptive immune systems regulate neuronal function in normal aging and following traumatic brain injury.

See AI in Health Care class on page 9.