About this episode
For decades, Alzheimer’s disease was treated as an unavoidable consequence of aging. In this episode of Research Renaissance, Dr. Jessica Rexach explains why that framing is no longer true.Drawing on 20 years at the intersection of clinical neurology, genetics, and experimental neuroscience, Dr. Rexach walks us through a profound shift in the field. Today, scientists can model human brain circuits, measure Alzheimer’s pathology through blood-based biomarkers, and study why some brains remain cognitively resilient even with disease pathology present.The science, she argues, is ready. The real question is whether society will commit the resources needed to finish the job.Key TakeawaysAlzheimer’s research has moved from broad hypotheses to precise, testable mechanismsBlood-based biomarkers have transformed clinical trials and early detectionBrain resilience, not just pathology, may hold the key to preventionCOVID-era investments unintentionally accelerated dementia research toolsThe biggest risk now is not scientific failure, but loss of funding and momentumGuest InformationDr. Jessica RexachAssistant Professor, UCLA2024 Toffler Scholar📧 Email: jrexach@mednet.ucla.eduListen & SubscribeIf you found this episode valuable:Subscribe to Research Renaissance on Apple Podcasts or SpotifyShare this episode with colleagues, caregivers, or anyone interested in brain scienceLeave a review to help others discover the showTo learn more about the breakthroughs discussed in this episode and to support ongoing research, visit our website at tofflertrust.org. Technical Podcast Support by Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
