Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC)

Madison GRECC

• Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias
• Diabetes and Endocrinology of Aging
• Dysphagia treatment in Older Adults
• Physical Fitness and Vascular Health
• Biology of Aging including Sarcopenia and Osteoarthritis
• Geroscience

• Novel mechanisms and targets for Alzheimer’s disease treatment
• Clinical interventions for Alzheimer’s disease prevention
• Metabolism as a target for sarcopenia prevention and treatment
• Mechanistic studies in diabetes development, factors, targets and interventions
• VA intensive dysphagia treatment program
• Impact of novel rehabilitative approaches for dysphagia in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias
• Defining novel pharyngeal pressure metrics to predict dysphagia treatment outcomes and clinical prognosis using high-resolution manometry
• Improving blood pressure control and better defining blood pressure goals in older patients with and without cardiovascular disease
• Epidemiology behind blood vessel stiffness and how this is impacted by aging and cardiovascular disease risk factors
• Determination of how skeletal muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics and remodeling mediate aging 
• Healthspan extending effects of exercise and/or metformin
• Impact of the mTOR signaling pathway on the development of osteoarthritis to identify treatment targets
• Wisconsin Native Elder Dementia Care Project

• Training the next generation of clinicians across multiple specialties and disciplines to be skilled in geriatric care
• Fostering development of interdisciplinary team skills to promote the best possible care for complex, older Veterans
• Disseminating knowledge of geriatric best practices both locally and nationally to advance the care of Veterans
• Creation of innovative educational tools in geriatrics to advance knowledge, skills and attitudes of trainees

• Virtual Geriatrics, formally GRECC Connect, is a structured geriatric and dementia telemedicine initiative providing care to rural Veterans
• Dementia Friendly Hospital Initiative improves services and care for Veterans living with dementia across our entire hospital system
• Developing and implementing non-pharmacological interventions for Veterans with dementia and their caregivers
• Telemedicine solutions for delivering geriatric consultation to Tribal Health Clinics
• Virtual Gerofit Program integrated with Whole Health strategies
• Integrating geriatric 5Ms into a comprehensive falls prevention program

• Neuroimaging of tissue microstructure as a marker of neurodegeneration in the AT(N) framework: defining abnormal neurodegeneration and improving prediction of clinical status.
  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37848950/
• Gut Microbiome Compositional and Functional Features Associate with Alzheimer's Disease Pathology.
  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39281749/
• Effects of Device-Facilitated Lingual Strengthening Therapy on Dysphagia Related Outcomes in Patients Post-Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37195518/
• Thick Liquids and Clinical Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias and Dysphagia. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38709510/
• Association of Caregiving Receipt With Mental Health Utilization in a National Cohort of Older Adults. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39030145/
• The common marmoset as a translational model of age-related osteoarthritis. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38466454/
• Older adults at greater risk for Alzheimer's disease show stronger associations between sleep apnea severity in REM sleep and verbal memory. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38725033/

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