In the News

By Courtney Perks The Orange County Register May 24, 2016 "When Ruth Russi was born with Down syndrome in 1959, her parents were told she would die before her fifth birthday. By the time Ruth turned 50, John and June Russi of Costa Mesa began to prepare for her outliving them." more >

Congratulations to The 90+ Study team on receiving the 2016 Robert Newcomb Interdisciplinary Team Science Award from the UCI Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (ICTS).  This award was established to highlight and honor individuals who have played a formative role in bringing together teams of researchers from diverse, trans-, multi-, and interdisciplinary backgrounds in studies and projects that have advanced biomedical and clinical research. Click here to learn more about The 90+ Study.

Public Policy Advisor Thursday, April 28, 2016 "Are you 65 years old?  If so, your risk of getting Alzheimer’s is 1 in 20.  70 years old – 1 in 10.  At 75 years, it narrows to 1 in 5.  Frightening – you bet! The extent of this devastating disease is monumental. Alzheimer’s is the 6thleading cause of death in the nation and the only killer in the top 10 with no disease-modifying drugs nor cure." read more >

Bill Edwards, UCI MIND Leadership Council member and Alzheimer's disease advocate, shares his family's story with UC Irvine Health: Nancy Edwards never met a stranger. “To her, you were a friend she hadn’t made yet,” her daughter Heather remembers. When her personality began to change in 2003, however, the family became concerned. “Her personality got very argumentative. We didn’t know what was going on.” Read more

Premiers Wednesday, April 13 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) Alzheimer’s disease strikes at the core of what makes us human: our capacity to think, to love, and to remember. The disease ravages the minds of over 40 million victims worldwide, and it is one of the greatest medical mysteries of our time. Join investigators as they gather clues and attempt to reconstruct the molecular chain of events that ultimately leads to dementia, and follow key researchers in the field who have helped to develop the leading theories of the disease. Along the way, meet individuals from all walks…

UCI MIND Leadership Council member, Bill Edwards, travels the world opening doors and helping businesses expand and thrive. Read more about Bill's accomplishments here.

Join us next month for our annual Barclay Lecture Series featuring Dr. Laura D. Baker, Associate Professor of Geriatric Medicine, Neurology, and Public Health at Wake Forest School of Medicine. Over the past 10 years, Dr. Baker has studied the effects of aerobic exercise on cognition and Alzheimer's disease progression, and she visits the Irvine Barclay Theatre on April 19th to deliver an exciting presentation titled, "Exercise for the Brain: Is it Worth the Sweat?" This lecture is free to the community and no reservations are required. For more information, contact Chelsea Cox, Education Coordinator, at (949) 824-9896.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Frances Saldana: franceshdcare@gmail.com or (714) 593-6205

Dr. Alon Avidan, Professor of Neurology and Director of the Sleep Disorders Center at UCLA, would like to invite clinicians and health care providers to attend the 9th Annual UCLA Sleep CME Course, "State-of-the-Art in Sleep Medicine."  The course will take place on Saturday, December 5, 2015, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Neuroscience Research Building Auditorium (NRB) on UCLA's campus. For more information and to register, click here. Course Description Physicians in all areas of medicine encounter patients who complain of disturbed sleep. The purpose of this course, the 9th in its series, is to provide clinicians with…

Study at UC Irvine to see if exercise can slow down Alzheimer's disease ABC7 - October 3, 2015 "We find that exercise promotes healthy brain aging and improves a person's cognitive function, and basically really makes the people feel better," said Dr. Carl Cotman with UC Irvine. … Cotman will begin recruiting 300 people to take part in the one-year study at UC Irvine. "We'll be looking at generally sedentary people that are willing to commit to that program that are basically 75 and older," said Cotman. full story >

Orange County Register - September 9, 2015 Dr. Howard Federoff made international news last year after he led a team of researchers in designing a blood test that predicted the development of Alzheimer's disease with 90 percent accuracy. Federoff, 62, who was at Georgetown University at the time, plans to conduct the next phase of study from UC Irvine, where he recently started as vice chancellor of health affairs and dean of the medical school. full article >

2015 Family Education Series Topic: Advances in Dementia Treatment: Current and Future Medications   Time: Tuesday, June 9, 4:30 - 6:30 pm  Location: University Club on the University of California, Irvine Campus, 801 University Club, Irvine, CA 92697-5625 Limited Seating Available • Reservations Are Required  Register online at: http://familyedseries.eventbrite.com You may also RSVP at (949) 824-2382, press option 4, and leave a message.

UCI MIND in partnership with the Center for Neurobiology of Learning & Memory is proud to host the 20th UC Irvine Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory Epigenetics: The Making and Unmaking of Powerful Memories Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 7:30PM Presented by University of California, Irvine professor, Marcelo Wood Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, UCI School of Biological Sciences. The event is free to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed. Parking in the adjacent structure is $10.00. See information below for further details.  

Ashley Campbell, daughter of singer Glen Campbell, who has Alzheimer's disease became tearful as she testified before Congress, urging increased support for research. "I think a person's life is comprised of memories, and that's exactly what Alzheimer's disease takes away from you," noted Ashley.  "Now when I play banjo with my dad, it's getting harder for him to follow along and it's getting harder for him to recall my name.  It's hard to come to the realization that someday my dad might look at me and I will be absolutely nothing to him."     To read the testimony of…

Enjoy a thought-provoking presentation by Dr. Adam Grazzaley, Associate Professor of Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry at UCSF, who spoke recently at the 19th Annual Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory.  Click here to access the presentation.

To register for this event, CLICK HERE It's time to join us for the Time of Your Life! Saturday, June 22, 2013, 5:30-11:00 pm at The Hangar at the Orange County Fairgrounds! Tickets $250 per person. Learn what we have in store for you! Go to www.ucimindtimeofyourlife.org Toast your favorite holidays. Once you enter The Hangar, you will experience "virtual" celebrations of: Valentine’s Day Fall’s Halloween and Thanksgiving Winter Holidays at the Lodge And a Happy New Year’s Eve Countdown in the Big Apple. Guests will be surrounded by each holiday experience created by our generous partner, Elite OC Productions.  Last year, they took us back to the 1960s.  This year, we…

Assemblyman Donald Wagner (L) and Mayor Al Murray (R) of Tustin listen to participants at a Town Hall hosted by the Orange County Aging Services Collaborative on Friday, April 12. Participants engaged in a lively discussion about various transportation options and challenges for seniors. Attendees learned how to better utilize local transportation options and voiced their concerns to transportation leaders in Orange County. Join the dialogue at the OCASC's next town hall forum, Living Through Your Silver Tsunami: Hot Topics in Senior Nutrition on May 10 at the Rodgers Senior Center in Huntington Beach. For more information visit: www.ocagingservicescollaborative.org.

Sunday, April 28, 9:30 AM You are invited to join us aboard the private 88' yacht, "The Last Hurrah," for the CRUISE TO REMEMBER Alzheimer's benefit event hosted by Betty's Foundation. This four-hour harbor cruise includes a continental breakfast, lunch, and beverages (coffee, water, soda, beer, and wine). Enjoy the sun and sights aboard this luxury yacht.  Passengers will also have an opportunity to participate in a silent auction.  For more information and photos of the yacht go to www.cruisetoremember.org. View from the upper deck of The Last Harrah   A donation of $75 per passenger is suggested and appreciated. …

To learn more about HD CARE and co-founder, Frances Saldaña, click here.

A series of Town Halls hosted by the Orange County Aging Services Collaborative (OCASC) will address three major issues facing seniors: Transportation, Housing, and Nutrition.  Make a difference in the lives of Orange County seniors by joining the dialogue at these Town Halls and providing the input we need to improve availability of and access to senior friendly transportation, affordable housing options, and basic nutrition. Each of these Town Halls will feature expert speakers on the topic and allow for audience feedback during an interactive panel.  Input received via this public forum and a survey will be shared with local…

  To learn more about how you can reduce your 2013 taxes with an IRA gift, click here.

UCI MIND releases a new video in which Dr. Aimee Pierce, Medical Director of the Institute's Memory Assessment and Research Center, and her fellow researchers and clinicians talk about their latest efforts to advance research in Alzheimer's disease.  

According to the recently released 2012 World Alzheimer's Report, stigma negatively effects people with dementia across the world, resulting in loss of friends and social exclusion.

Dr. Frank LaFerla, Director of UCI MIND, facilitates "Ask the Doc" panel of expert speakers who address audience questions about the behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. The 20th Southern California Alzheimer's Disease Research Conference, held on World Alzheimer's Day, September 21, 2012, is now available for viewing online.  Addressing the topic, Beyond Memory: The Behavioral and Psychiatric Symptoms of Dementia, the conference featured internationally known researchers and expert clinicians who discussed non-cognitive symptoms - ranging from apathy and depression to hallucinations and agitation - and their treatment in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.  Led by…

Just published Online First by Archives of Neurology, a study led by Szofia Bullain, M.D., a Fellow in Geriatric Neurology at UCI MIND and a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Neurology, has shown that difficulty performing activities like walking at age 90 and older greatly increases the odds of having dementia. Dr. Szofia Bullain, Lead Author Using a cross-sectional design, Bullain and her colleagues found that the oldest old who performed poorly on measures of walking, rising from a chair, standing balance and grip strength were more likely to have dementia than their more able peers.  Odds of developing…

Kawas honored as Visionary Woman by Alzheimer’s Association of OC Dr. Claudia Kawas, the Al and Trish Nichols Chair in Clinical Neuroscience and professor of neurology and neurobiology & behavior at UC Irvine, was honored for her clinical contributions to Alzheimer’s disease research and care by the Orange County Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Along with seven other recipients, Kawas was recognized as a 2012 Visionary Woman during a Sept. 28 reception at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel. Each year, the Visionary Women Circle of the Alzheimer’s Association honors Orange County caregivers who display extraordinary compassion in caring for those…

Investigators at the UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders describe their efforts to advance research for Alzheimer's disease.  Caregiver Bill Edwards shares how his wife, Nancy, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at UCI MIND and urges support for the Institute's research.

CBS 2 News spot features Steve and Gincy Heins, who shared their story of living with Steve's Mild Cognitive Impairment at the 2012 Southern California Alzheimer's Disease Regional Conference on September 21, 2012 - World Alzheimer's Day.  As Dr. Aimee Pierce of the UCI MIND cautions, any memory or thinking difficulties that interfere with one's everyday life should be brought to the attention of a physician and evaluated carefully.

KCAL 9 News highlights research at UCI MIND which was shared at the 20th Annual Southern California Alzheimer's Disease Conference, held on September 21st, World Alzheimer's Day.

Drs. Frank LaFerla (front) and Mathew Blurton-Jones (rear) before stem cell images The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has awarded $20 million to UCI Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI  MIND) to advance stem cell treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in partnership with Stem Cell, Inc. of Newark, California.  Led by a disease team that includes Dr. Frank LaFerla, a world-renowned researcher in Alzheimer’s disease who serves as director of UCI MIND and Dr. Mathew Blurton-Jones, Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at UCI, the four-year project is designed to bring neural stem cell treatment…

Dr. Leslie Thompson, a member of the UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), has been named editor in chief of the first academic journal dedicated to Huntington's disease.  The quarterly Journal of Huntington's Disease features original research in basic science, translational research and clinical studies.  The 7th most cited researcher in Huntington's disease (HD) over the past 25 years, Dr. Thompson is a professor of psychiatry and human behavior in the UCI School of Medicine and of neurobiology and behavior prednisone online in the School of Biological Sciences.  She serves as the Director of the Interdepartmental…

Congratulations to Dr. Carl Cotman, professor of Neurology, Neurobiology and Behavior, and Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Irvine who received an honorary doctorate from McGill University in Montreal as part of its 2012 commencement exercises.  Dr. Cotman, who founded the UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), was awarded a Doctor of Science, honoris causa, in recognition of the many contributions he has made to our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related cognitive disorders throughout his distinguished career.  He joins a select group of faculty to receive this honor. In his invited convocation address,…

Register Now . . . for the 20thAnnual Southern California Alzheimer’s Disease Conference, to be held on World Alzheimer's Day, Friday, September 21, 2012 at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa. Joining worldwide efforts to increase understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, the Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders at the University of California, Irvine (UCI MIND) and its community partners, the Alzheimer’s Association of Orange County and Alzheimer’s Family Services Center, are bringing together experts from across the country to address the topic, Beyond Memory: The Behavioral and Psychiatric Symptoms of Dementia. Today, over 5.4 million…

The Family Education Series, taught by Dr. Malcolm Dick, Senior Neuropsychologist at the UCI MIND Memory Assessment and Research Center, and Dr. Cordula Dick-Muehlke, Director of Education at UCI MIND, is now available online.  Workshops available for viewing are Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias: What Does the Diagnosis Mean? and Alzheimer's Disease: Behavior and Communication Strategies.   View the workshops online or attend the 2013 series in person.     For more information or to pre-register, call (949) 824-2382.

Dr. Carl Cotman, founding director of the UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, explains how regular exercise and a diet rich in antioxidants support brain health. This video is part of the "The Alzheimer's Project," a presentation of HBO Documentary Films and the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health in association with the Alzheimer's Association, the Fidelity® Charitable Gift Fund and Geoffrey Beene Gives Back® Alzheimer's Initiative.

   

Dr. Frank LaFerla serves as Chief Alzheimer's Research Expert for SeniorCareHomes.com.  He shares the urgent need to advance research about Alzheimer's disease and the efforts of UCI MIND to ensure that memories last a lifetime for future generations.  Today, 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease and a new case of develops in the United States every 68 seconds.  Without effective treatment and prevention strategies, the number of Americans affected by Alzheimer's disease will grow to at least 16 million by 2050, with the cost of care bankrupting our society.

Dr. David Cribbs, Associate Director of UCI MIND and Professor in Residence in the Department of Neurology, has been appointed to the Department of Veterans Affairs Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research  and Development (BLR&D) and Clinical Science Research and Development (CSR&D) Services Scientific Merit Review Board. As a board member, Dr. Cribbs will provide advice on the scientific quality, budget, safety and mission relevance of investigator-initiated research proposals submitted for intramural funding at the VA.  Funding is available for studies that prove both scientifically meritorious and relevant to the health of veterans. The board fulfills its mission through a series of expert…

An inspiration – that’s what Nancy Jenkins has been all her life – and continues to be even in the face of Alzheimer’s disease, which is gradually destroying her memory and thinking abilities.  These days, Nancy is inspiring others, even her husband, Larry, to follow her footsteps in advancing research for Alzheimer’s disease.  An active participant in the longitudinal research program at the University of California Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND) for the past 8 years, Nancy is allowing doctors to follow the progression of her disease annually and has agreed to donate her brain…

Dr. Malcolm Dick, UCI MIND Senior Neuropsychologist An overflow crowd of 160 Chinese Americans attended the UC Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorder’s (UCI MIND) first workshop on memory loss targeting this growing ethnic community.  Offered with translation, Memory Loss: Should I Be Concerned? was presented at the Irvine Chinese School on May 4, 2012 by UCI MIND experts, Dr. Malcolm Dick, Senior Neuropsychologist, and Dr. Cordula Dick-Muehlke, Director of Education, with translation support from Florence Huang, M.S.G., Community Liaison. Located in the heart of Irvine, UCI MIND is serving its local community by reaching out to Asians, who…

Staying physically active is critical for brain health, but you don’t necessarily have to break a sweat exercising to protect yourself from developing Alzheimer’s disease.   Among the oldest old, those who were the most physically active, whether through routine activities like housework and gardening or traditional exercise, had 2.3 times less risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those who were the least physically active, according to a study just published in the April 24, 2012 issue of Neurology. Dr. A. S. Buchman, lead author, and his colleagues at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, measured level of physical activity among 716…

More than 500 guests stepped back in time to the 1960s at the Time of Your Life fundraiser, held at the Center Club in Costa Mesa on March 10, 2012.  The benefit, in support of Alzheimer’s research at UCI MIND, was led by Jacqueline DuPont, Ph.D., Irvine Cottages, and her husband, Marc Carlson, and fellow co-chair, Linda Young.  The threesome had volunteered for two previous successful UCI MIND fundraisers.  They gathered their team of loyal volunteers to serve on this year’s committee to produce a truly unique event.  You had to be there! With the generous support and underwriting of…

Every 4 seconds another person in the world develops Alzheimer’s disease, a statistic released by the World Health Organization in its 2012 report, Dementia, A Public Health Priority, on April 11 and highlighted by Dr. Frank LaFerla, Director of the UC Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), that same evening in his presentation, Researching Ways to Make Memories Last A Lifetime, at the 18th UCI Distinguished Lecture Series on Brain, Learning and Memory, co-hosted by the UCI Center for Neurobiology, Learning and Memory and UCI MIND. Speaking to an audience of more than 500, Dr. LaFerla…

Dr. Frank LaFerla , Director of UCI MIND, addressed the 1,000+ prominent political and entertainment industry leaders - in addition to celebrities - who gathered on March 21, 2012, at the Beverly Hilton to recognize advances in the fight against Alzheimer's disease and rally around the growing movement to end the disease.  This annual Alzheimer's Association gala has raised over $19 million since its inception to advance cutting-edge research, increase awareness, and address the needs of Americans living with the disease and their caregivers. In his brief address, Dr. LaFerla reminded the audience that the price is just too high…

Over 500 guests enjoyed A Time of Your Life Saturday, March 10th, and raised much-needed funding to support research at UCI MIND.  Thank you to sponsor San Clemente Villas by the Seas for this video that shares the sights and sounds of the evening.

A study published in the February 28 issue of the journal Neurology provides more evidence that high dietary consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish such as salmon and tuna, may protect the brain against cognitive impairment. The research team, led by Dr. Zaldy S. Tan, found that healthy older adults 58-76 (m = 67) with the lowest  red blood cell (RBC) levels of the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) had "older" brains than their peers as well as a vascular pattern of cognitive impairment.  Researchers examined the relationship of RBC fatty acid levels…