Of Mice and Men… and Toxins: The Environmental Link to Dementia
Dementia Researcher Vodcast
03/28/25
•45m
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In this episode of the Dementia Researcher Podcast, guest host Dr Sam Moxon is joined by Dr Adam Schuller, Dr Savannah Rocha-Wrigley, and Megan Hager from Colorado State University's Tjalkens Lab to explore the significant yet often overlooked impact of environmental toxins on dementia and neurodegenerative diseases.
This fascinating discussion sheds light on how substances such as pesticides, heavy metals, wildfire smoke, and air pollution can trigger changes in glial cells, such as astrocytes and microglia, which may lead to dementia. The experts share insights into groundbreaking experimental models, imaging technologies, and the importance of early intervention and prevention strategies to reduce toxin-related risks.
Key Topics:
- Defining environmental toxins and their relevance to dementia
- Role of astrocytes and microglia in neurodegeneration
- Translational neurotoxicology models
- Advanced AI imaging and analysis techniques
- Preventative strategies to mitigate environmental risks
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A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profile on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk.
If you prefer to watch rather than listen, you will find a video version of this podcast on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and on our website.
Leave us a tip:
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We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors.
Subscribe to our sister show 'Dementia Researcher The Blogs':
Previous Episode
Minds in Motion: Dr Katie Breheny - Health Economics in Dementia Care
March 16, 2025
•25m
The Minds in Motion Podcast from Dementia Researcher in association with the NIHR Applied Research Collaborations and Alzheimer’s Society, brings together NIHR Dem Comm Research Fellows, to talk about their research and careers.
In this second series, we hear from five of the Dem Comm Fellows each taking a turn as co-host and guest. Alongside the researchers we have the incredible Trevor Salomon, Alzheimer’s Society Volunteer & Chair of the European Dementia Carers Working Group as our permanent co-host and anchor.
In show Trevor is joined by the guest from our previous show Dr Lis Grey from University of Bristol and the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) West to interview Dr Katie Breheny.
Katy works in the NIHR ARC West and University of Bristol. Katie is a health economist focused on improving the way we assess and value healthcare interventions for people living with dementia. Her research explores how traditional health economic methods can be adapted to better capture wellbeing and quality of life in dementia care. With a background in psychology, Katie’s work spans health economics, patient-reported outcomes, and methodological research, ensuring that economic evaluations reflect the real-world needs of individuals, carers, and service providers. She is particularly interested in making assessments more inclusive and meaningful, while also working on innovative projects such as adapting wellbeing questionnaires and developing personalised digital tools to support dementia care.
Dem Comm is a 2 year programme funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research and the Alzheimer's Society. It supports a new generation of dementia research leaders, bringing together researchers from different multidisciplinary backgrounds to encourage cross-cutting and community-orientated dementia research projects that can address key gaps in the evidence around dementia care and support, delivering transformative translational research.
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A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profile on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk.
If you prefer to watch rather than listen, you will find a video version of this podcast on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and on our website.
Leave us a tip:
https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support
Follow us on social media:
- https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/
- https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/
- https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher
- https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social
Download and Register with our Community App:
https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher
We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors.
Subscribe to our sister show 'Dementia Researcher The Blogs':
Next Episode
ADPD 2025 Conference Highlights - Part One
April 11, 2025
•51m
This year's AD/PD Conference was held in Vienna, Austria from the 1st to 5th April. In this first of a two-part special we bring you highlights from the first three days of the conference.
The AD/PD Conference focuses on basic science and translational and clinical research bringing New insights on disease mechanisms and etiologies, the latest findings from clinical trials, innovative outlooks on therapy and prevention and advances in diagnostic markers.
In this special on-location recording our guest host Dr Amanda Heslegrave from UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London talks with Dr Loukia Katsouri from the UCL Gatsby Foundation, Dr Anna Mallach from the UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London and Dr Imogen Swift, Research Scientist at Vesper Bio.
Here are just a few highlights from the discussion:
- Can AI spot cognitive decline in mice before humans can? Discover how machine learning is transforming mouse model analysis to predict impairment – and the surprising gender and breeding effects researchers uncovered.
- Drug repurposing breakthroughs: affordable hope on the horizon? Find out why microglial activity, mitochondrial senescence, and asthma meds could be the future of dementia drug discovery – without starting from scratch.
- Parkinson’s redefined – biologically, not clinically. A bold proposal to ditch clinical diagnosis in Parkinson’s research in favour of biomarker-based subtyping. Could it revolutionise how trials are run?
- Astrocytes take centre stage – and they might be phagocytosing synapses. New data shows waves of astroglial activity and potential astro-microglial crosstalk in Parkinson’s disease – with serious implications for how we model disease.
- Could a finger prick diagnose dementia? From dried blood spot kits to large-scale remote testing, hear how researchers are racing to make brain biomarker screening as simple as a home test.
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A transcript of this show, links and show notes and profile on all our guests are available on our website at https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk.
If you prefer to watch rather than listen, you will find a video version of this podcast on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and on our website.
Leave us a tip:
https://dementia-researcher.captivate.fm/support
Follow us on social media:
- https://www.instagram.com/dementia_researcher/
- https://www.facebook.com/Dementia.Researcher/
- https://www.twitter.com/demrescommunity
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/dementia-researcher
- https://bsky.app/profile/dementiaresearcher.bsky.social
Download and Register with our Community App:
https://www.onelink.to/dementiaresearcher
We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funders: Alzheimer’s Association, Race Against Dementia, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
The views and opinions expressed by guests in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers, funders, or sponsors.
Subscribe to our sister show 'Dementia Researcher The Blogs':
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