McCance Center for Brain Health

6 natural ways to protect your brain—backed by a neurologist Top neurologists told Newsweek of natural, science-backed ways to protect your brain from aging and disease—before symptoms start.

McCance Center Director, Dr. Rudy Tanzi, shares key brain health tips in this Newsweek piece: newsweek.com/6-natural-ways-protect-brain-backed-neurologist-11140872
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Come join the McCance Center team! We are recruiting a Clinical Research Coordinator, bilingual in Spanish & English, to help us launch a trial of a natural product combinations for early AD intervention. Learn more & apply: bit.ly/McCanceCRC #McCanceBrainDiscoveries

This #GivingTuesday, consider donating to the McCance Center. An anonymous donor launched a philanthropic challenge, pledging to match donations - dollar for dollar, up to $20M! With your gift, you can double your dollar and help make Alzheimer’s history. bit.ly/McCanceFund

Don’t miss our last seminar of 2025! Dr. Nanda Kumar Navalpur Shanmugam, presents Inflammation Beyond the Intestine: Colitis-Induced Immune Changes in Alzheimer’s Mouse Model on December 8th at 11 am. Learn more & register here: bit.ly/McCanceEvents #McCanceBrainDiscoveries

The McCance Center research team is working to diagnose and track Alzheimer's disease before symptoms appear. Learn more here: bit.ly/Pre-ADI #McCanceBrainDiscoveries #AlzheimersAwarenessMonth

New paper on McCance Center-funded trial by Dr. Edmarie Guzman-Velez shows alleviation of Long COVID symptoms with nicotinamide riboside supplement. Read it here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #McCanceBrainDiscoveries

Congratulations to McCance Center director, Dr. Rudy Tanzi, for being named to the 2025 Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers list! More here: clarivate.com/highly-cited-researchers/ #highlycited2025

The McCance team is growing! We’re recruiting a Clinical Research Coordinator, bilingual Spanish - English, to help us launch a trial of a natural product combinations for early AD intervention. Learn more & apply: bit.ly/McCanceCRC #McCanceBrainDiscoveries

The Amyloid Beta Peptide is a natural protein found in the brain. With Alzheimer’s disease, this protein builds up and forms clumps called plaques, which cause damage to the brain.
Learn how you can protect your brain with the SHIELD method: bit.ly/SHIELDPlan #AlzheimersAwarenessMonth

The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Other causes include Lewy body dementia, Frontotemporal dementia, & Vascular dementia. Learn how we're working to find treatments for Alzheimer’s long before symptoms show: bit.ly/MCCTP #McCanceBrainDiscoveries #AlzheimersAwarenessMonth

Join in the fun at the Paddle for a Purpose Tournament & Party, Saturday, November 1st, at the Cohasset Golf Club! Proceeds will benefit the Brain Nutrition Lab at the McCance Center. Sign up to play or support us with a donation. Learn more: because.massgeneral.org/event/paddle...

November is #AlzheimersAwarenessMonth. Currently, more than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's - a number expected to double by 2060. Here at the McCance Center, under the direction of Dr. Rudy Tanzi, our research is focused on early intervention. Read more: bit.ly/MCCTP

Join us virtually for the McCance Center Seminar Series, featuring leading clinicians & scientists discussing the latest research on brain health. We offer continuing education credits for physicians and nurses. Learn more: bit.ly/McCanceEvents #McCanceBrainDiscoveries

A new paper out today in Neuron, by McCance-affiliated researchers!

What’s my Alzheimer’s risk, and can I really do anything to change it? Can you escape your genetic inheritance, and do lifestyle changes actually make a difference? Daniel Cossins set out to understand what the evidence on Alzheimer’s really means for him

McCance Center Director Dr. Rudy Tanzi weighs in on Alzheimer’s risk in this recent article in NewScientist: bit.ly/NSrisk #McCanceBrainDiscoveries

Don’t miss the next two presenters in the McCance Seminar Series! Continuing education credits are available for physicians and nurses. bit.ly/McCanceEvents
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Molecular hallmarks of excitatory and inhibitory neuronal resilience to Alzheimer’s disease - Molecular Neurodegeneration Background A significant proportion of individuals maintain cognition despite extensive Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology, known as cognitive resilience. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that protect these individuals could reveal therapeutic targets for AD. Methods This study defines molecular and cellular signatures of cognitive resilience by integrating bulk RNA and single-cell transcriptomic data with genetics across multiple brain regions. We analyzed data from the Religious Order Study and the Rush Memory and Aging Project (ROSMAP), including bulk RNA sequencing (n = 631 individuals) and multiregional single-nucleus RNA sequencing (n = 48 individuals). Subjects were categorized into AD, resilient, and control based on β-amyloid and tau pathology, and cognitive status. We identified and prioritized protected cell populations using whole-genome sequencing-derived genetic variants, transcriptomic profiling, and cellular composition. Results Transcriptomics and polygenic risk analysis position resilience as an intermediate AD state. Only GFAP and KLF4 expression distinguished resilience from controls at tissue level, whereas differential expression of genes involved in nucleic acid metabolism and signaling differentiated AD and resilient brains. At the cellular level, resilience was characterized by broad downregulation of LINGO1 expression and reorganization of chaperone pathways, specifically downregulation of Hsp90 and upregulation of Hsp40, Hsp70, and Hsp110 families in excitatory neurons. MEF2C, ATP8B1, and RELN emerged as key markers of resilient neurons. Excitatory neuronal subtypes in the entorhinal cortex (ATP8B+ and MEF2Chigh) exhibited unique resilience signaling through activation of neurotrophin (BDNF-NTRK2, modulated by LINGO1) and angiopoietin (ANGPT2-TEK) pathways. MEF2C+ inhibitory neurons were over-represented in resilient brains, and the expression of genes associated with rare genetic variants revealed vulnerable somatostatin (SST) cortical interneurons that survive in AD resilience. The maintenance of excitatory-inhibitory balance emerges as a key characteristic of resilience. Conclusions We have defined molecular and cellular hallmarks of cognitive resilience, an intermediate state in the AD continuum. Resilience mechanisms include preserved neuronal function, balanced network activity, and activation of neurotrophic survival signaling. Specific excitatory neuronal populations appear to play a central role in mediating cognitive resilience, while a subset of vulnerable interneurons likely provides compensation against AD-associated hyperexcitability. This study offers a framework to leverage natural protective mechanisms to mitigate neurodegeneration and preserve cognition in AD.

Dr. Rudy Tanzi is a co-corresponding author on a new paper exploring cognitive resilience in Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Read it here: molecularneurodegeneration.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
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2025 WMIF | Emerging Treatments | Alzheimer's Disease

McCance Center director, Dr. Rudy Tanzi, recently spoke at the 2025 World Medical Innovation Forum in Boston. He was joined by Dr. Dennis Selkoe for an insightful discussion on current and emerging treatments in Alzheimer’s disease. Watch here: bit.ly/TanziWMIF
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McCance Clinical Trials Director, Gene Bowman, will present “Fueling Resilience in Brain Aging: Early Detection & Individualized Nutritional Therapies for Dementia Prevention” at the Harvard Medical School Brain Aging Symposium on 10/22. www.agingconsortium.org/brain-aging
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Save the dates for the next three speakers in the McCance Center Seminar Series! Register to attend and receive continuing education credit for physicians and nurses. Learn more & reserve your spot here: bit.ly/McEvents #McCanceBrainDiscoveries

McCance Seminar Series: Dorene Rentz, PsyD. Dorene Rentz, PsyD, Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and clinical neuropsychologist at Mass General Brigham, speaks on "Detecting Risk for Cognitive Decline: Feasibility and Utility of Remote Digital Assessment Tools” September 5, 2025 episode of the Mass General McCance Center for Brain Health Seminar Series. https://www.massgeneral.org/neurology/mccance-center

Dorene Rentz, PsyD was our McCance Seminar Series presenter earlier this month. Dr. Rentz discussed the advantages of remote digital tools for cognitive assessments. If you missed it, you can watch here: bit.ly/RentzPreso #McCanceBrainDiscoveries @teamcart.bsky.social

Join a vibrant community of professionals for in-depth discussions on the future of brain health! Our seminar series now offers continuing education credit for physicians and nurses. Sign up to expand your knowledge: bit.ly/McCanceEvents
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Don’t miss this opportunity to advance scientific research in the dynamic field of nutrition and neurology! Join the McCance Center’s Brain Nutrition Lab led by Dr. Gene Bowman! bit.ly/McCancePDRF
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Are you a highly organized and experienced project manager with a passion for clinical trials and brain research? We have an exciting opportunity on the McCance Center team for a Clinical Research Project Manager II! See the full job description here: bit.ly/McCancePMII
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McCance Center Brain Fitness Quarterly Email from Don't Miss out on Our Upcoming Seminars - Register Now for CE Credits!   FROM THE DIRECTOR'S DESK Greetings! The “Dog Days of Summer” have not slowed down the team at the Henry and Allison

Check out the current issue of the McCance Center’s Brain Fitness Quarterly! Learn details of our new fundraising challenge, explore our amazing speaker series lineup, and catch up on science highlights. Read it here: conta.cc/47Czeal #McCanceBrainDiscoveries

Sex differences in the impact of genetic and clinical risk factors for Alzheimer's disease in midlife - PubMed BackgroundPreclinical risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD), including amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, begins 10-15 years prior to diagnosis. In addition to genetics, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and depress...

A new collaborative study in The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease explores sex differences in genetic and clinical AD risk factors. Read more here: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40820345/

Sleep Quality and Efficiency in Adults with Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 AbstractStudy Objectives. Sleep disruptions are associated with adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Individuals with post-acute sequelae of COVID-

New paper by McCance-affiliated researchers explores how people with long COVID are affected by sleep problems. Read more here: academic.oup.com/sleepadvances/advance-article/doi/10.1093/sleepadvances/zpaf051/8234326?utm_source=advanceaccess&utm_campaign=sleepadvances&utm_medium=email

McCance Seminar Series: Giulia Menichetti, PhD Giulia Menichetti, PhD, Faculty Member at Harvard Medical School, Affiliated Faculty Member at the Network Science Institute, Investigator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, speaks on "AI for Food Processing" July 7, 2025 Episode of the Mass General McCance Center for Brain Health Seminar Series. https://www.massgeneral.org/neurology/mccance-center

Check out last month’s session of the McCance Center for Brain Health seminar series with Giulia Menichetti, PhD. Dr. Menichetti presented AI for Food Processing. See the full presentation here: bit.ly/MenichettiPreso
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FIRST ON CNN: Dramatic lifestyle changes can fight early-stage Alzheimer’s, study says. Here’s how | CNN Adopting intensive lifestyle changes can slow or stop progression of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study.

CNN highlights study showing the benefit of wellness interventions for improving brain health. McCance Center Director, Dr. Rudy Tanzi is a co-senior author. Read the full story: www.cnn.com/2025/07/29/health/ornish-early-alzheimers-study-wellness

McCance Center Clinical Trials Director, Dr. Gene Bowman, spoke at the MGB Neurology retreat this week. He shared insights on the Center’s mission to advance early detection and intervention, to promote brain health, and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. #McCanceBrainDiscoveries