Brain Health for the 21st Century with Dr. Thomas Fritsch

Madison Senior Center offers Brain Health Series

The Madison Senior Center presents a three-part Wednesday lecture series by Thomas Fritsch, Ph.D, Director of the Parkinson Research Institute, affiliated with the Regional Parkinson Center of Milwaukee and Aurora Health Care. He studies neuro-degenerative diseases, such as Parkinson and Alzheimer disease, and cognitive processes associated with normal and diseased aging. Like every organ in the body, the brain changes with age. For some people, the changes are relatively benign, and do not affect their lifestyles in significant ways. For others, brain aging brings with it serious memory and thinking problems, broadly referred to as "dementias." Other brain changes can cause motor difficulties, such as those seen in Parkinson disease. Yet, cognitive decline in aging is not inevitable, and science has shown that there are steps we can take to keep our brain fit. The "Dementias": What are They? The dementias are a class of diseases that affect memory, thinking, and physical function. Dr. Fritsch will cover the three most common dementias- Alzheimer disease, Lewy Body dementia, and Vascular dementia-and their impacts on the person and family, as well as treatment approaches. March 13-10 -11:30 am. Parkinson Disease: A Primer. Parkinson disease is a movement disorder…but it also affects the cognition, behaviors, and so-called "vegetative functions." Learn about the lesser known aspects of Parkinson disease in this lecture which may explain surprising signs and symptoms of the disease. April 10-10 -11:30 am. Healthy Cognitive Aging. Cognitive decline is believed by most to be an inevitable part of aging. This is patently false. There are substantial differences in the paths of cognitive aging-and there are even steps we can take to optimize brain function as we age. May 8-10 -11:30 am Register for all three events by calling the Senior Center: (608) 266-6581. There is a $50 fee, cash or check payable to the Madison Senior Center, or register by e-mailing Pat Guttenberg at pguttenberg@cityofmadison.com. Location: Madison Senior Center, 330 West Mifflin Street, Madison, WI 53703, and proceeds go to support the Madison Senior Center, the sponsor of this event. Partners include the Alzheimer's Association, Wisconsin Parkinson's Association, Aurora Health Care, and UW-Milwaukee. 4.5 CEH credits are available for professionals.

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