Chemistry of Dementia Risk Factors and Community Based Prevention

Catalog description

Over 57 million people live with dementia worldwide, and 14 risk factors have been identified as modifiable to prevent or delay half of all dementia cases globally. This course will explore these risk factors in depth, linking daily life actions to chemical changes in the brain. In this Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) course, students will not only receive an introduction to the lifestyle and environmental risk factors of dementia but will also engage with the local community, working in small groups as co-teachers of dementia prevention lessons in a Philadelphia senior center. Students will receive instruction on 1) the biochemical hallmarks of dementia, 2) the chemical mechanisms of each risk factor, and 3) current treatments. As co-teachers, students will use problem-solving learning approaches to promote accessible education about dementia risk and develop dementia prevention practices in our community.