NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2024 BRAINWIRE 
END OF YEAR MESSAGE
A Message from Dr. Andrea Pfeifer, Chair of the Global BHP BrainTrust
 
As forecast, 2024 showcased a promising inflection point across the brain health landscape. Research milestones marked the year, including the European Medicines Agency’s approval of Leqembi for early Alzheimer’s disease. These developments were coupled with a plethora of early diagnostic candidates ranging from blood-based biomarkers to accessible, scalable voice activation models, and AI-driven retinal imaging for early detection of Alzheimer’s through a simple eye exam.
 
Adding to the growing momentum in brain health, the Global BHP BrainTrust, in collaboration with the FINGERS Brain Health Institute, the coordinating hub for prevention research in 68 countries led by Prof. Miia Kivipelto, co-launched FINGERS Plus for Women, focusing on the brain to gut connection, introducing a probiotic as intervention, donated by Probi AB.
 
The Global BHP BrainTrust’s participation at the Lausanne XI Workshop with our panel Igniting The Future of Women’s Health: A Global Wake-up Call, promoted further steps toward investment advocacy, research evaluations and data clarifications for gender disparities. It also reinforced the necessity of investment shifts towards brain capital as set forth in a World Economic /McKinsey Health Report that closing the women’s health gap could add $1trillon (US) to the global economy by 2040.

With optimism and hope, my Vice-Chair Mara Hank Moret and I are proud to expand our efforts in 2025, grateful for the support of our founding and new global members and collaborative initiatives in development with the FINGERS Brain Health Institute, Women In Science, Lausanne XII, WHAM, and UsA2 Women’s Leadership Council. Follow us through our BrainWire newsletters with updates to further drive our commitment to brain health awareness and advocacy.

We wish you a healthy, peaceful Christmas time and an exciting beginning to 2025!

End of Year Report
Read the full report here
Global-US BrainTrust Quarterly Dialogue Highlights 2024 

May 22nd, 2024
Where Music and the Arts Meet Brain Science


Renée Fleming
World-renowned soprano and Arts & Health Advocate, Author "Music and Mind"
MEMBER NEWS
 
The Renée Fleming Foundation has joined forces with the NeuroArts Blueprint initiative to establish the Renée Fleming Neuroarts Investigator Awards. The awards will support both basic and applied research that expands the evidence base of the emerging field of neuroarts and furthers the mission of the Neuroarts Blueprint. Click here to view Renée Fleming’s message and her continued engagement on neuroarts-related research. 

TUNE IN AND LEARN MORE
SPOTLIGHT
llona Kickbusch

We are pleased to spotlight our latest member Ilona Kickbusch who officially joined the Global BHP BrainTrust in December 2024. Ilona has an impressive background with expertise in political determinants of health, policies and global health. 

Professor Ilona Kickbusch is the Founder of the Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute in Geneva and advises countries on their global health strategies, trains health specialists and is involved in German G7 and G20 health activities. 
 
 
Read more here
PODCAST
Rebecca Chopp, PhD-Spirituality and Alzheimer's

Spirituality can often be used to provide support to families and caregivers coping with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Dr. Rebecca Chopp, former Chancellor of the University of Denver and Dean of Yale Divinity School, diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2019, talks about her spiritual journey with BrainStorm host Meryl Comer. Dr. Chopp shares her personal story of being raised in an agnostic family to becoming a theologian. She explores spirituality and faith while offering insights into acceptance, grief, and maintaining one's sense of self while living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Listen here
BBP CAMPAIGN
How to get your 24h brain health boost

Did you know that just 20 minutes of physical activity can boost your brainpower — and the benefits may last up to 24 hours? Exercise gets your heart pumping, improves blood flow to your brain, and releases those feel-good neurotransmitters that support memory, focus, and mood. And no, this doesn’t have to mean hitting the gym or running a marathon (unless that’s your thing!).

That’s where today’s challenge comes in! Try something fun and new to get your blood flowing and your heart rate up, even a little. The possibilities are endless!

Read more here
TOP OF MIND NEWS
"Brain Rot" becomes the word of the year

In 2024, "brain rot" skyrocketed as the Oxford Word of the Year, capturing the widespread concern over social media's impact on our minds. But is technology truly to blame?
 
Read here
Revolutionize Brain Health: Pro-Social AI for Alzheimer’s Prevention

The latest advancements in AI for Alzheimer’s research are promising. AI models now achieve over 90% accuracy in detecting Alzheimer’s from brain scans.

 
Read here
Being aerobically fit in middle age may reduce Alzheimer's and dementia risk, study says

Doing more aerobic exercise in middle age and old age may reduce the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, a new study found.
Read here
Dementia Caregiver How-To: Holiday Visits With Loved Ones

The holidays can be challenging for families visiting loved ones with memory loss or dementia. Family caregivers and dementia expert Carol Bradley Bursack share their advice for making sure everyone has a good time.
Read here
Leqembi recommended for treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease
 
After re-examining its initiatl opinion, EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) has recommended granting marketing authoritization to Leqembi for treating mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease in patients.
Read here
Biotech TV

London Healthcare Week: A discussion on treating neurodegenerative diseases with the CEO of AC Immune


 
Watch here
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Global BHP BrainTrust:  The Global BHP BrainTrust was launched in 2020 in Switzerland with the aim to elevate the importance of women’s brains and mental health, by engaging the highest levels of influencers to participate in global discussions and step up to support and advocate for positive change. It links to the US BrainTrust in jointly promoting the Be Brain Powerful® campaign (BBP). 
https://globalbhptrust.com| LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
 
US BrainTrust:  The US BrainTrust was formed to serve as an Honorary Committee of influential women interested in helping UsAgainstAlzheimer’s elevate the topic of brain health among those most affected, women and communities of color. Chaired by Former First Lady Laura Bush the BrainTrust supports the positioning and amplification of the Be Brain Powerful® campaign (BBP). 
https://bebrainpowerful.org | LinkedInInstagram | Facebook | Twitter


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