BrightFocus Foundation Launches New Dementia Information Series

(April 6, 2023) Clarksburg, MD—BrightFocus Foundation this month will launch a free, virtual discussion program about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia featuring medical experts. Zoom in on Dementia & Alzheimer's, to be held monthly starting April 20, is designed to share the latest research breakthroughs and news from the field—from treatments and genetics to risk reduction, supplements, and more. 

The first episode, “The New Alzheimer’s Drug: What is Leqembi?” on Thursday, April 20, at 1 p.m. ET features Dr. Sharon Cohen, a neurologist and medical director at Toronto Memory Program. Host Nancy Lynn, BrightFocus Foundation, will speak with Dr. Cohen about Leqembi, a new anti-amyloid treatment for Alzheimer's disease that received conditional approval from the FDA in January 2023. They will discuss the drug's benefits, availability, potential side effects, cost, and more, as well as other Alzheimer’s drugs in development. 

The program is free, but registration is required to participate and ask questions live.

Upcoming topics include “Is Alzheimer’s Hereditary? Genetics and Dementia” (May 18) and "Facts About Frontotemporal Dementia” (June 22). Each online session will include a live Q&A where participants can directly ask questions on screen or via phone. All sessions will be recorded and available to watch on demand. 

“We know people living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and their loved ones have many questions, and it can be difficult to find trusted sources of information, especially when time in the doctor’s office is limited,” said Stacy Pagos Haller, President and CEO of BrightFocus. “Through conversations with medical experts, our new series will share the latest developments in Alzheimer’s and dementia research, treatments, and prevention, while providing a valuable opportunity for participants to ask their own questions directly of the experts.” 

The program is supported in part by educational grants from Lilly and Genentech. 

At least 50 million people worldwide are believed to be living with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. In the U.S., almost 10% of adults aged 65 and older have dementia, while another 22% have mild cognitive impairment.    

Since 1985, the Alzheimer's Disease Research (ADR) program at BrightFocus has awarded nearly $170 million to support promising research in areas including molecular biology, genetics, and epidemiology to discover a cure for the disease. ADR is currently supporting more than 160 biomedical research projects around the world. Explore our research.  

BrightFocus Foundation is dedicated to reaching millions of people worldwide through its public outreach and education efforts around brain and eye health. In 2021, the Foundation launched Brain Info Live, a series of free, multilingual online and hybrid educational programs customized for diverse communities across the U.S. to help raise awareness about opportunities to participate in clinical trials. Other efforts include the free BrightFocus Chats audio series connecting individuals with vision diseases to doctors and researchers; virtual community groups, public service announcements, awareness outreach campaigns, and special events. 

About BrightFocus Foundation 

BrightFocus Foundation is a premier nonprofit funder of research to defeat Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Through its flagship research programs—Alzheimer’s Disease Research, National Glaucoma Research, and Macular Degeneration Research—the Foundation is currently supporting a $75 million portfolio of 287 scientific projects worldwide. BrightFocus has awarded nearly $275 million in groundbreaking research funding over the past 50 years and shares the latest research findings, expert information, and English/Spanish disease resources to empower the millions impacted by these devastating diseases.  Learn more at Brightfocus.org. 

Media Contacts

Julia Roth 
BrightFocus Foundation 
jroth@brightfocus.org 
301-556-9382 

Kaci Baez 
BrightFocus Foundation 
kbaez@brightfocus.org 
301-556-9370