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What a spider's brain can teach us about Alzheimer's

If you have a family member or loved one with Alzheimer’s, you know how devastating the disease can be. It’s a brain disorder that slowly destroys a person’s memory and thinking skills. Its effects are irreversible – the damage it wreaks on the brain cannot be undone. About 50 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s. It’s among the leading causes of death in the United States.

Researchers across the globe are working to better understand Alzheimer’s, so we can prevent it, or slow its progression. Just recently, St Michael’s College in Colchester and the University of Vermont in Burlington announced a major breakthrough from a team of researchers. By studying spider brains, they’ve gained a better understanding of how Alzheimer’s disease develops in the human brain.

We're joined by two of those researchers who tell us about their work and why the specifics of spider brains led to this breakthrough. Our guests are both associate professors of biology and neuroscience at St. Michael's College, Dr. Ruth Fabian-Fine and Dr. Adam Weaver.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Mikaela Lefrak is the host and senior producer of Vermont Edition. Her stories have aired nationally on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Marketplace, The World and Here & Now. A seasoned local reporter, Mikaela has won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards and a Public Media Journalists Association award for her work.
Jon has spent his entire adult life working in broadcast journalism. He began his career in Baltimore at WYPR, and has since been a producer for WHYY, Vox, The Majority Report with Sam Seder, and The Talkhouse. Jon is a lifelong recording artist whose projects include Repelican, The Art Department, and Dungeonesse. He lives with his wife in Panton, Vermont.