Sanders-Brown Announces Scientific, Community Symposia on Alzheimer's

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 21, 2012) — To mark World Alzheimer's Day on Sept. 21, the University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging announces that it will hold a two-part symposium on Alzheimer's disease in November. The first day of the Second Annual Markesbery Symposium on Aging and Dementia, Friday, Nov. 9, will be dedicated to scientists and clinicians sharing their research with each other. The second day, Saturday, Nov. 10, will be open to the general public and will offer an overview of current developments in Alzheimer's disease.

The scientific symposium and poster presentation on Nov. 9 will feature addresses by Cheryl Wellington of the University of British Columbia, David Holtzman of Washington University, and four members of the UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging faculty: Frederick Schmitt, Paul Murphy, Deborah Danner and Gregory Jicha. Scientific sessions will be held in the UK Chandler Hospital Pavilion A Auditorium. For more information or to register for the symposium, scientists and clinicians should contact SBCoA at (859) 323-6040 or via e-mail at shmall2@uky.edu.

The community symposium on Nov. 10 will be keynoted by Wellington, who will speak on "Living Life to its fullest: New Perspectives on What You Can Do about Alzheimer's Disease." Steve Estus of SBCoA will moderate a Q&A panel with Danner, Murphy, Jicha and Schmitt taking questions from the audience about Alzheimer's, dementia and brain aging. Murphy will speak on developing therapies, Danner on community education and outreach, Schmitt on staying sharp, and Jicha on nutritional supplements for brain health. Linda J. Van Eldik, SBCoA director, will offer closing remarks.

The community symposium will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the Thoroughbred Room of the Lexington Convention Center, 430 W. Vine St., Lexington. For more information or to register for the symposium, members of the general public should contact SBCoA at (859) 323-6040 or via e-mail at shmall2@uky.edu. The symposium is free of charge and open to all, but registration is required.

The Markesbery Symposium is named for the late Dr. William R. Markesbery, long-time director of the UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging.