Guest Michael Greicius is an authority on Alzheimer’s disease. He makes the case that while effective treatments have remained elusive, there are high hopes for new approaches that target tau proteins in the brain associated with the disease. In the meantime, to reduce Alzheimer’s risk stay active, eat well, and manage circulatory risks, but skip genetic testing for now until better treatments emerge, Greicius tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your quest. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu.Episode Reference Links:Stanford Profile:  Michael GreiciusConnect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / FacebookChapters:(00:00:00) IntroductionRuss Altman introduces guest Michael Greicius, a professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University.(00:02:12) Understanding Alzheimer's DiseaseThe roles of amyloid and tau proteins in Alzheimer's disease.(00:04:53) Challenges in Developing TreatmentsThe multiple hurdles in creating Alzheimer's therapies.(00:09:07) Current Alzheimer's DrugsThe controversies and limitations of recently approved drugs.(00:10:23) Amyloid Plaques and Their ImpactWhy removing amyloid plaques hasn’t improved patient outcomes.(00:14:29) Problems with Alzheimer's TrialsThe disconnect between amyloid removal and patient outcomes.(00:18:03) Functional Unblinding and Trial BiasHow functional unblinding affects trial results and drug evaluations.(00:23:51) The Potential of Targeting TauNew breakthroughs in targeting tau protein for Alzheimer’s.(00:26:35) The Future of PreventionPotential preemptive treatments for Alzheimer's and their administration.(00:29:19) Lifestyle and Risk ReductionRecommendations for reducing risk of Alzheimer’s disease.(00:31:43) Conclusion Connect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.