Investigators in a variety of research fields attended the Cognitive Aging Summit II convened by the National Institute on Aging in Washington, D.C. in October 2010. Made possible by the McKnight Brain Research Foundation [1] through a grant to the Foundation for NIH [2], the meeting brought together some 325 researchers to discuss age-related brain and cognitive change and future avenues of research. Topics ranged from the molecular and cellular mechanisms in cognitive aging, genetic and epigenetic factors, translational research and possible interventions to promote healthy cognitive aging, such as exercise and nutraceuticals.

View captioned videos of the sessions by clicking on the links below.

Introductions

• Richard Hodes, M.D. [3] 3:33
  National Institute on Aging
• Scott E. Campbell, Ph.D. [4] 2:26
  Executive Director & CEO, Foundation for NIH
• J. Lee Dockery, M.D. [5] 4:48
  Trustee, McKnight Brain Research Foundation

Plenary Speaker

• Cognitive Aging: What Do We Know? What's Next? [6] 25:43
  Carol Barnes, Ph.D., University of Arizona

Session 1: Mechanisms of Age-related Cognitive Change/Targets for Intervention: Genetics/Epigenetics

• DNA Methylation in Memory Formation [7] 12:39
  David Sweatt, Ph.D., University of Alabama-Birmingham
• MicroRNAs and Synaptic Plasticity [8] 11:08
  Kenneth Kosik, MD, University of California-Santa Barbara
• Histone Acetylation and Histone Deacetylases in Mouse Models of Neurodegeneration [9] 12:24
  Li-Huei Tsai, Ph.D., Massachusettes Institute of Technology
• Histone Acetylation and Human Cognitive Aging [10] 12:07
  Scott Small, MD, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
• Discussant presentation - Naftali Raz, Ph.D., Wayne State University [11] 9:40
• Discussant presentation - Peter Rapp, Ph.D., National Institute on Aging [12] 9:45
• General Discussion [13] 22:12

Session II: Mechanisms of Age-related Cognitive Change/Targets for Intervention: Neural Circuits/Networks/Plasticity

• Synaptic Correlates of Cognitive Performance: Implications for Cognitive Aging [14] 11:49
  John Morrison, Ph.D., Mt. Sinai School of Medicine
• Why CRUNCH Matters: Compensation-Related Utilization of Neural Circuits, Aging, and Intervention [15] 11:41
  Patricia Reuter-Lorenz, Ph.D., University of Michigan
• Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Dysfunction Associated with White Matter [16] 10:28
  Charles DeCarli, MD, University of California-Davis
• Age and Amyloid Related Alterations in Memory Networks: More or Less? [17] 11:33
  Reisa Sperling, MD, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School
• Discussant presentation - Clinton Wright, MD, University of Miami [18] 10:06
• Discussant presentation - Claudia Kawas, MD, University of California-Irvine [19] 12:12
• General Discussion [20] 23:52

Session III: Mechanisms of Age-related Cognitive Change/Targets for Intervention: Inflammatory, Oxidative and Metabolic Processes

• Microglial Priming, Neuroinflammation, and Susceptibility to Peripheral Inflammation-Induced Cognitive Decline with Aging [21] 10:02
  Steven Maier, Ph.D., University of Colorado
• Linking Oxidative Stress of Aging to the Senescent Neurophysiology of Cognitive Decline [22] 9:24
  Thomas Foster, Ph.D., University of Florida
• The Role of Insulin in Normal and Pathological Brain Aging [23] 14:25
  Suzanne Craft, Ph.D., University of Washington
• Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Cognitive Aging: Population Based Studies [24] 10:32
  Kristine Yaffe, MD, University of California-San Francisco
• Discussant presentation - Susan Resnick, Ph.D., National Institute on Aging [25] 11:41
• Discussant presentation - Philip Landfield, Ph.D., University of Kentucky [26] 14:07
• General Discussion [27] 14:53

Session IV: Mechanisms of Age-Related Cognitive Change/Targets for Intervention: Social Interactions/Stress

• Psychosocial Influences on Cogntive Aging [28] 10:59
  Robert Wilson, Ph.D., Rush University
• Stress and Cognitive Aging [29] 10:40
  Martin Silwinski, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University
• A Long-Term Behavior Genetics View of Stress and Cognitive Aging [30] 11:15
  William Kremen, Ph.D., University of California-San Diego
• Discussant presentation - Jens Pruessner, Ph.D., McGill University [31] 11:40
• Discussant presentation - Margie Lachman, Ph.D., Brandeis University [32] 11:51
• General Discussion [33] 21:28

Session V: Considerations in Design
Progress in Cognitive Aging Research: Presentation of the Cognitive Aging RFA Grant Award Recipient’s Research

• Molly Wagster, Ph.D., National Institute on Aging [34] 8:54, and
• Jonathan King, Ph.D., National Institute on Aging [35] 8:29
• Cognitive Aging and Translational Research: Strategies to Sustain Neurological Function While Aging [36] 14:53
  Roberta Brinton, Ph.D., University of Southern California
• Biomarker for Aging Studies: What Have We Learned from AD? [37] 10:53
  Ronald Petersen, Ph.D, MD, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
• Measurement Matters: Evaluating Interventions to Prevent Cognitive Decline [38] 11:40
  Dan Mungas, Ph.D., University of California-Davis
• FDA Perspective on Approval of Drugs for Age-Related Cognitive Decline [39] 11:08
  Russel Katz, MD, Food and Drug Administration
• Discussant presentation - Paul Aisen, M.D., University of California, San Diego [40] 12:09
• Discussant presentation - Eric Reiman, M.D., Banner Health [41] 12:50
• General Discussion [42] 27:36

Session VI: Clinical Trials: New Opportunities

• Discussant presentation - Howard Fillit, M.D., Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation [43] 13:05
• The Clinical Study as Experiment: Testing a Pivotal Hypothesis [44] 12:02
  Michela Gallagher, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University
• Guanfacine for Prefrontal Executive Dysfunction in Healthy Aging [45] 11:15
  Christopher van Dyck, MD, Yale University
• Behavioral and Dietary Interventions Synergize to Promote Successful Aging [46] 10:53
  Carl Cotman, Ph.D.
• Exercising the Mind and Body: Aging and Brain Health [47] 11:20
  Sandra Chapman, Ph.D., University of Texas-Dallas
• Discussant presentation - Laura Carstensen, Ph.D., Stanford University [48] 14:36
• General Discussion [49] 19:07

Closing Remarks

• Marie Bernard, M.D., National Institute on Aging [50] 4:24
• J. Lee Dockery, M.D., McKnight Brain Research Foundation [51] 3:52