Hebrew SeniorLife’s Marcus Institute at the National Council on Aging Conference

BOSTON – Alvaro Pascual-Leone, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Scientist at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Medical Director for Hebrew SeniorLife’s (HSL) Center for Memory Health, and a Professor in Neurology at Harvard Medical School, recently participated in a National Council on Aging conference panel discussion: “Socialize, Think, Move, Eat: A Community-Based, Comprehensive Lifestyle-Enriching Program to Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk.”

This brain and body healthy-aging symposium was designed to discuss an evidence-based program that can promote well-being while reducing an individual’s risk for cognitive decline and dementia. The symposium introduced attendees to the “new science of the aging brain” and the six important lifestyle components involved: social engagement, mental stimulation, physical activity, healthful nutrition, stress management, and memory-enhancing sleep practices.

Dr. Pascual-Leone is a clinical neurologist who specializes in cognitive and behavioral neurology. A major focus of his work is to characterize and promote brain health across the lifespan and minimize disability in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders while gaining fundamental insights into human brain function. HSL’s Center for Memory Health offers personalized and comprehensive care by an interdisciplinary team of health care professionals to those with both emerging cognitive concerns and established medical diagnoses, as well as their caregivers and families. Access to cutting-edge scientific advances and the latest therapeutic interventions is ensured through the close collaboration with the Marcus Institute.

“Brain health is something we can’t take for granted,” said Dr. Pascual-Leone. “We need to start much earlier looking at brain function and how to prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. Symposiums like this help us look at ways to identify and promote interventions to sustain brain health and reduce a person’s risk of cognitive decline.” 

About the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research 
Scientists at the Marcus Institute seek to transform the human experience of aging by conducting research that will ensure a life of health, dignity, and productivity into advanced age. The Marcus Institute carries out rigorous studies that discover the mechanisms of age-related disease and disability; lead to the prevention, treatment, and cure of disease; advance the standard of care for older people; and inform public decision-making. 

About Hebrew SeniorLife
Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is a national senior services leader uniquely dedicated to rethinking, researching, and redefining the possibilities of aging. Based in Boston, the nonprofit, non-sectarian organization has provided communities and health care for seniors, research into aging, and education for geriatric care providers since 1903. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit http://www.hebrewseniorlife.org and our blog, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.