News

On May 15, 2026, researchers, clinicians, trainees, and staff from across North Carolina gathered at the UNC Friday Center in Chapel Hill for the 4th Annual Duke/UNC Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) SLAM‑DUNC Symposium—the Symposium for Learning about Alzheimer’s Disease‑related Medical Research at Duke & UNC

There are more than a hundred types of dementia, all of which are caused by different changes in the brain. The most well-known is Alzheimer’s disease, caused by a build-up of the proteins amyloid and tau. Then there’s another protein called alpha-synuclein, which builds up into clumps called Lewy bodies, which cause other forms of dementia.

A new Duke study is exploring whether cells inside the nose could reveal early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers say detecting the disease sooner could help patients start treatments that may slow its progression.

Most dementia involves multiple brain changes, not Alzheimer’s alone. The national CLARiTi study—joined by the Duke UNC ADRC—aims to untangle these causes for better diagnosis and treatment.

In this article, Aging Center investigator Dr. Robert Turner describes his motivation for pursuing a career in research after the NFL.  He describes an MRI study that examines how repetitive brain injury affects risk of depression and dementia.

An Alzforum article examines a new paper by Murali Doraiswamy and Jeff Petrella exploring the promise and pitfalls of an AI tool for improving ARIA detection, featuring insights from six global experts and highlighting a collaborative effort between Duke and UNC researchers.