@_BrightFocus
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BrightFocus funds groundbreaking research to discover cures for Alzheimer's, macular degeneration and glaucoma. Also posting on Bluesky.
Joined February 2009
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Every 35 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer's disease. More than 7 million Americans age 65 and older are living with it today, and there is still no cure.
This World Alzheimer's Month, we are sharing stories from families who know this disease firsthand, including "The Wire" actor Andre Royo, who cared for his mother, Andrea Royo; Teri Youngdale, whose mother, Gail, is living with Alzheimer's now; and Leticia, who is caring for her mother alongside raising her teenage son.
Watch their stories and explore risk factors and the latest research at StopAD.org.
ALT Acclaimed actor, director, and producer Andre Royo (The Wire, Empire, Hunter Gatherer)
ALT Alzheimer's Advocate Teri Youngdale with mother Gail Youngdale
ALT Alzheimer's advocate, Leticia with her son and mother.
When Gail Youngdale was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, her daughter Teri watched her face it head-on.
"After she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, I saw the fighter in my mom come out," Teri said. "She inspired me to take my own brain health seriously."
Behind every diagnosis is a real person, and a story that matters. Teri is one of the families sharing their experience with us during World Alzheimer's Month, and her story is a testament that knowledge is power, both for people facing this disease and for those who love them.
Hear her story and how to get involved: StopAD.org.
Andrea Royo trained at Alvin Ailey. She was accepted to Juilliard. She loved salsa. She volunteered for a presidential campaign and ended up meeting the president at the White House.
Then Alzheimer's took her memory of it.
Andre Royo, the actor who portrayed "Bubbles" on HBO's The Wire, cared for his mother, Andrea Royo, until she passed away in December 2024 at the age of 79.
This For World Alzheimer's Month, he's Andre is sharing her story. "She was really independent. She didn't like sitting around. She liked to work," Andre said. "To see someone like her lose her independence and not know who they are, it was wild."
Every 35 seconds, someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer's disease. Andre's story is a reminder of what's at stake, and why research funding can't wait.
Read his story and get involved: bit.ly/46fxP7V
What causes agitation in Alzheimer's? Dr. Brent Forester explains the three things to look for first.
Watch our full Zoom In on Dementia & Alzheimer's episode to learn about non-drug strategies, what the research says about supplements and CBD, and medications to treat this symptom: brightfocus.org/resource/agi…
#Alzheimers #Dementia #Health
Deep in the retina, maintenance cells clear away waste and keep vision sharp. When they falter, macular degeneration can follow, and so can vision loss.
Lily Wu, PhD, whose work is funded by BrightFocus Foundation's Macular Degeneration Research program, is investigating a class of fats called very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, or VLC-PUFAs.
Her question: are these fats the fuel those cells depend on?
Using patient-derived stem cells, plus gene therapy, her team is looking for a way to intervene early, before the damage becomes irreversible.
Explore her research: brightfocus.org/grant/levera…
ALT Photo of BrightFocus Foundation Macular Degeneration Research grant recipient, Dr. Lily Wenjing Wu
Agitation is one of the most common behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, and one of the most challenging for families to navigate.
Dr. Brent P. Forester joins Let's Talk Alzheimer's to explain what's driving it, how it shows up differently from person to person, and the approaches clinicians turn to first.
Watch our full episode on YouTube: youtu.be/tOLaAZANmvA.
Prefer to listen on the go? Search "Let's Talk Alzheimer's" on your podcast app.
#Alzheimers #Dementia #Caregiving #AlzheimersAwareness #BrainHealth
ALT Here's a succinct alternative text description for the image: "The image features a quote from Dr. Brent P. Forester about SSRIs as first-line treatment for certain types of agitation. The background includes bright blue lights.
On Sept 30, Dr. Daisy Shu, a BrightFocus Macular Degeneration Research grant recipient, will share what she’s learning about a new drug delivery approach for wet age-related macular degeneration that could ease the burden of frequent eye injections.
Sign up: BrightFocus.org/MacularChats
Progress in macular degeneration has been driven by decades of well-run clinical trials.
In our May Macular Chat, Mathew MacCumber, MD, PhD of Illinois Retina Associates and Rush University Medical Center breaks down what that pipeline looks like from the inside: trial phases and timelines, how eligibility is determined, the trade-offs people consider before enrolling, and a look at the GALLOP trial (a clinical trial for GA).
Asked what gives him the most hope, his answer was the talented researchers and dedicated patients who make trials possible.
Full episode and transcript: brightfocus.org/resource/the…
#ClinicalTrials #MacularDegeneration #BrightFocusFoundation
Don’t miss Zoom In on Dementia & Alzheimer’s, “What’s New in Alzheimer’s Blood Testing,” happening tomorrow, Sept 17.
Join Dr. Suzanne Schindler of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and learn how new blood tests are helping shape the future of Alzheimer’s diagnosis and care.
🔗 Watch Live: youtube.com/live/P18cuYnl7kw
#Alzheimers #Dementia #Health
Nearly half of dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or delayed.
A new report has identified 14 modifiable risk factors spanning every stage of life — including hearing loss, high LDL cholesterol, physical inactivity, social isolation, depression, diabetes, and untreated vision loss.
Many of them are things you can act on now. A hearing test. A cholesterol check. An overdue eye exam. A regular walk. Get the latest information.
🔎 Find out more: bit.ly/4zX345c
Your diagnosis carries information your family can use.
If a parent has age-related macular degeneration, their children's risk is about double. That's not a warning — it's a reason for an eye exam they might not have thought to schedule.
Have you talked with your kids or siblings about your diagnosis? Tell us how that conversation went. 💬
Tag or send this to someone in your family: bit.ly/4ct65jK.
ALT Infographic with text: 'Did you know? A person is more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration if someone in their immediate family has had it.'
Parkinson's and Lewy body dementia are more closely related than most families realize.
Dr. James Galvin explains what Lewy bodies actually are, why Parkinson's belongs in the same family, and how often dementia follows.
The full Let's Talk Alzheimer's episode covers how these diseases are diagnosed, why most people have more than one at once, what's in the drug pipeline, and practical guidance for caregivers facing hallucinations.
Watch the full episode and the rest of the series on YouTube: youtu.be/JHf8oud-SMc
Also listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you listen. Link in bio.
The list of FDA-cleared blood tests for Alzheimer's is getting longer. Two more were recently cleared: PrecivityAD2 the Elecsys pTau217 test.
Clearance means more clinicians can access these tests. For people already experiencing symptoms of cognitive impairment, they can help detect signs of Alzheimer's earlier and inform next steps in diagnosis and treatment. Both are meant to be used alongside a clinical evaluation. Neither is a screening test.
Find out more: bit.ly/4A3FqEj
ALT A set of blood test tubes is placed in a holder in a lab setting. The text reads, "FDA Clears Two Alzheimer’s Blood Tests, Supporting More Accurate and Earlier Diagnoses." Logos for BrightFocus Foundation and Alzheimer’s Disease Research are visible.
The FDA cleared two Alzheimer's blood tests: PrecivityAD2 and Elecsys pTau217.
Clearance means more clinicians can access the tests, which can help detect signs of Alzheimer's disease earlier in people with symptoms of cognitive impairment and help determine next steps in diagnosis and treatment.
Find out more. ↘️
Gail Youngdale watched Alzheimer's take her mother. So when she was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, and later early Alzheimer's herself, she was afraid of what came next.
Then she joined a clinical trial for an anti-amyloid treatment. Today, Gail is still living independently, still herself.
In our new public service announcement, Gail's daughter Teri shares their family's journey and why she's committed to raising awareness and fighting for a cure.
Alzheimer's Disease Research, a BrightFocus Foundation program, funds groundbreaking science around the world to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer's. Research is what gave Gail more time. It's what will give other families the same.
Learn about their story, the latest research, and how to protect your brain: StopAD.org.
Accelerate your #VisionResearch with support from an @ARVOinfo Foundation EyeFind Research Grant—receive up to $5,000 to obtain eye-bank tissue samples. Sponsored by @_BrightFocus. Apply by Oct. 31: bit.ly/45LmPj7
#ARVOFoundationGrants #Ophthalmology
ALT Promotional image for the EyeFind Research Grant Program by ARVO Foundation for Eye Research, featuring a person in lab attire holding a sample, with text about funding for eye tissue research and a QR code to apply.
⏰ Reminder: Glaucoma Chat is tomorrow!
Don't miss the opportunity to hear from Dr. Karl Wahlin as he discusses his BrightFocus Foundation National Glaucoma Research-funded project, Human Retinal Regeneration to Cure Glaucoma.
Discover how advances in regenerative medicine and retinal cell replacement could transform the future of glaucoma care and vision preservation.
📅 Tomorrow, Sept 9
🎓 Featured Speaker: Dr. Karl Wahlin
🔗 Join us live tomorrow: BrightFocus.org/LiveChatNGR
#GlaucomaChats #GlaucomaResearch
ALT Image for Glaucoma Chats featuring a discussion titled 'Retinal Regeneration: A New Path Toward Curing Glaucoma.' The event is on Wednesday, September 9 at 1 pm Eastern. It is presented by BrightFocus Foundation and the American Glaucoma Society, featuring Karl Wahlin, PhD, a glaucoma researcher.
Sleep loss isn't just a symptom of Alzheimer's. It may be a driver.
With support from BrightFocus Foundation's Alzheimer's Disease Research program, Dr. Ksenia Kastanenka of Massachusetts General Hospital is investigating how disrupted sleep contributes to Alzheimer's progression and whether restoring healthy sleep can slow it down.
Her latest findings point to a common sleeping pill as a promising candidate for future treatment.
"Sleep is more than just a luxury," Dr. Kastanenka said. "It's a frontline defense."
Explore her research: bit.ly/3ULVVo8
📸: Kastanenka Lab 2025, Photographer Nora Gaby-Biegel
@kastanenka, @MGHNeurology
ALT BrightFocus Alzheimer's Disease Research grant recipient, Ksenia Kastanenka
What’s new in Alzheimer’s blood testing?
On Sept 17, Dr. Suzanne Schindler will cover the latest advances in blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease.
Learn about:
✅ How blood tests may support diagnosis
✅ Recent advances in biomarker testing
✅ The future of Alzheimer’s care & detection
🔗 Register today: BrightFocus.org/ZoomInAlz
ALT The image is a promotional flyer for a Zoom event titled "What's New in Alzheimer’s Blood Testing," presented by BrightFocus Foundation and Alzheimer’s Disease Research. It features a headshot of Suzanne E. Schindler, MD, PhD, with text stating the event details: September 17 at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT. The flyer also mentions that attendees can "Ask Questions LIVE." Suzanne E. Schindler is described as a Professor of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine.
Can we regrow the cells glaucoma destroys?
That's the question behind Dr. Karl Wahlin's research.
Dr. Wahlin, a BrightFocus National Glaucoma Research grantee, is working on rebuilding damaged retinal tissue through cell replacement.
In our upcoming Glaucoma Chat, he'll explain what regenerative medicine could mean for future treatment, and take live questions from the audience.
🔗 Register today. ↘️ brightfocus.org/glaucoma/res…
"I don't want anyone to have to suffer and see what I saw or go through what I went through."
— Andre Royo, on caring for his mother through Alzheimer's
Andrea Royo was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2021. Her son, actor, producer, and writer Andre Royo (The Wire, Empire, Hunter Gatherer), became her caregiver. She died in December 2024.
More than seven million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, and millions of family members and caregivers feel its impact every day.
Alzheimer's Disease Research, a BrightFocus Foundation program, funds groundbreaking research worldwide to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer's.
Learn more about Andre's story, the latest research, and how to protect your brain: StopAD.org.
#WorldAlzheimersMonth #AlzheimersDisease #Health