Shannon, Kristen, and Lance

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine continues to solidify its reputation as a hub for groundbreaking biomedical research. In December, the UK CNS-Met (central nervous system-metabolism) Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE), a program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), hosted its inaugural research symposium. 

Pete Nelson and Greg Jicha

Researchers at the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging are at the forefront of advancing dementia research with groundbreaking work on a condition known as LATE, or “limbic predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy.” 

Greg Jicha, MD, PhD, director of clinical trials at UK’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, conducts an exam.

Researchers at the University of Kentucky (UK) are part of a groundbreaking clinical trial exploring the use of medical marijuana in managing symptoms of late-stage dementia.

Dr. Greg Jicha and Dr. Pinar Coskun conduct an exam on February 15, 2024.

As Kentucky prepares for its launch of legalized medical marijuana, work is already underway inside the University of Kentucky’s Sander-Brown Center on Aging, where doctors and researchers are working to gauge the benefit of marijuana on advanced stages of dementia with agitation. Six months into their clinical trial, they’re seeing promising data.

Photo of people walking

The University of Kentucky Public Relations & Strategic Communications Office provides a weekly health column available for use and reprint by news media.

Several healthy foods layered together in the shape of the human brain.

Researchers at the University of Kentucky have found that incorporating specific nutrients into a regular diet may reduce iron buildup in the brain — a factor associated with cognitive decline in normal aging.

A doctor referencing a patient's brain scans.

With age comes disease. Cancer and Alzheimer’s dementia are among the commonest and most feared health conditions – particularly in countries with ageing populations such as the UK.

Photo of Caregiver

This article appeared in the Lane Report.

While some Americans in their 60s and older may have a vague memory of doctors making house calls with their black medical bag, home healthcare in the 2020s is starkly different than that slice of Americana from the 1950s.

Atcharaporn Ontawong

My name is Atcharaporn Ontawong, and I am a second-year postdoctoral scholar at the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging under the mentorship of Anika Hartz, PhD.  My journey with the Hartz lab began in 2018 when, as a PhD student from Thailand, I joined the group through a scholarship from Thailand's Research and Researcher for Industry program.

Elaf Ghoneim working in a UK laboratory under a hood ventilator.

Recent University of Kentucky graduate Elaf Ghoneim was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky. Her family, originally from Libya, established a tight-knit, community-oriented home that emphasized the importance of service and advocacy.

Linda J. Van Eldik working in her laboratory

The University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Director Linda Van Eldik, PhD, hopes to shed light on how specific brain cells may contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, paving the way for potential new therapeutic approaches.

Bob Sompol, Yang Jiang, & Chris Norris

Reyna Katko

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- University of Kentucky researchers made a major breakthrough in understanding long COVID: it could lead to Alzheimer’s-like brain changes.

"I was shocked how people will find COVID in their brain," Dr. Yang Jiang said.

Blaine Weiss

My name is Blaine Weiss, and I am a graduate student in the department of pharmacology and nutritional sciences in the lab of Christopher Norris, PhD. Our group studies the role of astrocyte reactivity in contributing to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. 

gme residents

In many residency programs, the need for accessible and up-to-date information is critical for effective training and patient care. Traditional residency handbooks, often updated annually, can sometimes fall short in providing real-time access to evolving guidelines and best practices.

David Fardo looking through paperwork on his desk.

Work by several researchers within the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging was recently published in the prestigious journal Nature Genetics. 

Gregory A. Jicha

Just like the rest of the human body, the brain changes as it ages. Most people eventually notice some slowed thinking and occasional memory problems. However, serious memory loss, confusion and other major changes in the way the mind works could be a troubling sign that brain cells are failing.

Drs. Gregory A. Jicha, left, and Pete Nelson In front of the Sanders Brown Center on Aging building

In the ever-evolving field of Alzheimer’s disease research, the development of disease-modifying therapies has sparked both excitement and debate. While these therapies represent a promising shift in the treatment landscape, questions remain about their clinical benefits, risks and economic impact.

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September 2, 2024

The brain needs a lot of energy — far more than any other organ in the body — to work properly. And aging and Alzheimer’s disease both seem to leave the brain underpowered.

But an experimental cancer drug appeared to re-energize the brains of mice that had a form of Alzheimer’s — and even restore their ability to learn and remember.

Covid and Alzheimer's disease pathologies

New research from the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging shows compelling evidence that the cognitive impairments observed in long COVID patients share striking similarities with those seen in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. 

An illustration of neuron activity in the brain.

The 14th annual Markesbery Symposium on Aging and Dementia is set for Sept. 27-28. The symposium, hosted by UK’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, is named in honor and memory of the late William R. Markesbery, MD, the founding director of Sanders-Brown.