Using novel neuroimaging techniques to promote healthy aging and prevent memory loss

As we age, our risk for developing certain diseases increases. This is especially true of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a complicated age-related illness that results in dementia (memory loss) and altered mood. Researchers are beginning to understand that brain changes associated with AD begin long before a dementia diagnosis, including a loss of irreplaceable brain cells. Though current medications may alleviate some symptoms, they fall short of slowing the progression of AD. Dr. Barbara B. Bendlin, Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Wisconsin-Madison, is interested in understanding the preclinical (early) stages of AD in order to eradicate dementia and develop strategies that individuals can use to promote healthy brain aging.

Dr. Bendlin is looking to uncover potential mechanisms that could lead to treatment by identifying people at risk, detecting early brain changes, and recognizing modifiable factors that contribute to healthy or pathological aging. Her cross-disciplinary team comprises students from University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Neuroscience Training Program, Neuroscience and Public Policy Program, Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD program), undergraduate students aspiring to be scientists and physicians, study coordinators, and postdoctoral fellows. She and her team collaborate extensively with investigators in medical physics, radiology, medicine, sleep research, psychiatry, bacteriology, chemistry, and nursing. In addition, she works with international investigators, including at University College London and the University of Gothenburg. 

Current research interests:

  • Understanding Development - Dr. Bendlin and her team work with volunteers in Wisconsin who suffer from memory loss or are at risk for developing AD as they age. Many of their dedicated participants have parents with AD – meaning that they are at increased risk for the disease – and volunteer their time to help Dr. Bendlin better understand how to predict the onset of AD. In particular, Dr. Bendlin’s team is trying to start as early as possible, well before behavioral dementia symptoms occur, but when the first signs of AD might be present in the brain. The sensitive MRI brain imaging techniques that Dr. Bendlin’s team uses allow them to identify features of midlife brain health and better understand how it develops. Through their understanding of its development, they are able to detect early risk factors and identify ways to prevent it. 
  • Early Detection - Dr. Bendlin’s lab uses novel tools, including neuroimaging—magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET)—and cerebrospinal fluid analysis to detect early Alzheimer’s-related brain changes and pathology. They look at various aspects of neuropathology to monitor its early development. These include looking at the hallmarks of AD, plaques and tangles, as well as novel clues, such as inflammation and sugar metabolism. They use biomarkers from the brain imaging and cerebrospinal fluid to identify pathological development, testing whether brain and cognitive function is worse in people who have inflammation or glucose utilization problems. They use diffusion-weighted imaging to examine the brain’s microstructure – made up of more than 86 billion neurons – and test how proteins in cerebrospinal fluid might impact how brain structures connect. Dr. Bendlin and her team suspect that if they can detect how brain cells become disconnected early in life, they might be able to predict who will suffer from cognitive decline and dementia. All of these developments may be predictive of AD later on; they aim to determine the contribution of the brain’s wiring system to cognitive decline within one year, and accelerate their understanding of the impact of inflammation to brain changes in three years.
  • Prevention - There are various risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease — including genetics — which cannot be changed. However, Dr. Bendlin and her team are looking at modifiable factors that can possibly delay cognitive decline and memory loss if targeted early in a person’s life. Together with collaborators, she and her team are conducting several studies on patients, looking at sleep, diet, obesity, and gut microbes to better understand the factors that either promote or impede healthy brain aging. They’re also exploring cardiovascular risk factors, especially diabetes, prediabetes (insulin-resistance), and metabolic syndrome. They have found that prediabetic middle-age patients have higher levels of Alzheimer's pathology, including less brain blood flow and volumetric differences. By detecting these early changes, they can have greater confidence that modifying lifestyle conditions may protect the brain and promote healthy aging. Dr. Bendlin’s goal is to determine the contribution of several of these modifiable AD risk factors on midlife brain health over three years, with the potential of developing protective medications or lifestyle therapies proven with evidence.

To learn more aobut Dr. Bendlin's innovative research, visit her website at brainmap.wisc.edu/people/3-BB-Bendlin

Dr. Barbara B Bendlin was first inspired to explore neuroscience by her professors at her undergraduate institution in Manitoba, Canada. During her psychology courses, she was mentored by passionate scientists who introduced her to the concept of “brain and behavior,” leading to her interest in memory, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease. She was fascinated with the applications of using MRI techniques to image the brain. During graduate school at the University of Arizona in Tucson, she worked with true heavyweights in the study of memory and aging. Her advisor, Lee Ryan, taught Dr. Bendlin about the power and limitations of using imaging as a tool to understand the brain. It was there that she performed her first independent study on inflammation research, looking at people with rheumatoid arthritis. She saw that these patients have a decreased risk of developing AD potentially due to the anti-inflammatory drugs they take. The novel discoveries toward understanding AD inspired Dr. Bendlin to continue the pursuit of this research.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she continues to be inspired by her colleagues, mentors, and the participants in her lab. Dr. Bendlin and her team regularly conduct outreach activities and educational lectures for their community and people in dementia care. She loves being able to provide practical advice and translate their technical findings to useful and practical information for their audiences’ benefit. Her close work with patients who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and their families motivates her to continue her research and provide answers for healthy aging. 

Originally from Northern Ontario, Canada, Dr. Bendlin grew up surrounded by lakes and wooded areas. She enjoys spending time outdoors; her hobbies include camping, hiking, canoeing, ice skating, cycling and growing vegetables in the summer.