This past year was the biggest yet for Being Patient’s podcast, Brain Talk. Check out which episodes caught our audience’s attention the most.
Brain Talk, hosted by Being Patient founder Deborah Kan and journalist Mark Niu, digs into the topics that matter most to the Being Patient community — from exclusive interviews with leading neurologists and dementia care experts to the accounts and experiences of people living with cognitive decline, Brain Talk brings fresh perspectives on dementia and brain health.
Here’s a rundown of this past year’s nine most popular episodes, streaming — along with new episodes — on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic.
9. Dr. Ifrah Zawar: Seizures, Cognitive Decline, and Dementia
Neurologist Dr. Ifrah Zawar explains the relationship between these conditions and what people with dementia need to know about epilepsy.
“The more severe the dementia, the more likely they are to have seizures,” Zawar said. “On the flip side… people with seizures also, especially with uncontrolled seizures, often experience cognitive impairment and cognitive decline.”
Zawar shares what listeners need to know about this often overlooked relationship.
8. Lou Niles: An Inside Account of the Donanemab Drug Trial
After his mother’s death from Alzheimer’s, retired U.S. Army officer Lou Niles decided to look into his own risk — and to get involved in dementia research.
“Some people don’t want to know. I have learned through this that you have to be very proactive if you are at risk for this disease,” Niles said. Learn about Niles’ experience in the clinical trial with Alzheimer’s anti-amyloid Kisunla.
7. Dasha Kiper: Shedding Light on the Challenges of Dementia Caregiving Through Storytelling
Clinical psychologist, educator, and author Dasha Kiper joins Being Patient Live Talks to discuss her book “Travelers to Unimaginable Lands,” which uses storytelling and research to explore the impact of dementia caregiving on the brain. Kiper discusses her emerging research and her advice for caregivers navigating the ambiguity of Alzheimer’s.
6. Dr. Nir Grossman on Non-Invasive Deep Brain Stimulation and Memory
Award-winning dementia researcher and educator Dr. Nir Grossman of the UK Dementia Research Institute discusses his current work on an experimental non-invasive form of deep brain stimulation called temporal interference. Grossman discusses how this technology is opening up possibilities for non-invasive treatment of people living with neurodegenerative disease.
5. Sonde Health’s David Liu: Can the Sound of Your Voice Signal Cognitive Decline?
David Liu, the CEO of Sonde Health, explains the science behind voice biomarkers and their potential for the early identification of cognitive impairment. In this episode, listeners will learn how vocal biomarkers are disrupting the diagnostics space and what it could mean for the future.
4. Dr. Hussein Yassine: Your Questions Answered About Diet and Brain Health
How does your diet affect — or protect — the brain? USC neurology and nutrition expert Dr. Hussein Yassine explains the research on the link between eating patterns and brain health, particularly for those with genetic risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
“People who start these healthy diets before they have a diagnosis of disease tend to have more [benefits] than after the diagnosis of disease,” Yassine said.
Here, the expert shares guidance for a brain-healthy diet.
3. Bill Sasse: An Insider’s Account of the Alzheimer’s Solanezumab Drug Trial
Bill Sasse was a participant in Eli Lilly’s clinical trial of the experimental monoclonal antibody drug solanezumab, which was ultimately discontinued.
“I think a lot of people’s very first reaction is, ‘Oh, don’t do that. There are side effects.’ They’re scared of what they don’t know,” Sasse said of participating in a trial.
In this episode, Sasse shares his experience as a participant in the clinical trial — along with what he wishes other people who are considering enrolling in a trial would know.
2. Doreen Monks: A Neuroscience Nurse Got Early-Onset Alzheimer’s — Here’s How She’s Making a Difference
Despite working as the program director at her local stroke center, it took neuroscience department nurse Doreen Monks more than a year to get an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
“I just thought suddenly [I’d] lost whatever intelligence I had, or [was] losing it and couldn’t figure it out, [thinking] it was my fault, not my brain’s fault,” Monks said.
In this episode, she discusses her diagnosis story and her path toward advocacy.
1. Ask Teepa Snow Anything: Your Dementia Caregiving Questions Answered
Positive Approach to Care founder and dementia care expert Teepa Snow returns for an exclusive “Ask Teepa Anything” session. Snow shares expert advice on everyday challenges caregivers face as she answers Being Patient readers’ questions.
Stay tuned for upcoming Brain Talk episodes including the story of Zelik Bocknek, a 90-year-old skier living with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and Dan Jaworksi, an IRONMAN competitor who shares his post-diagnosis journey to competing in one of the world’s most grueling tests of physical endurance. Tune in on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
