BrightFocus Foundation

BrightFocus funds groundbreaking research to discover cures for Alzheimer's, macular degeneration and glaucoma. Also posting on Bluesky.

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

Every 35 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer's disease. More than 7 million Americans age 65 and older are living with it today, and there is still no cure.

This World Alzheimer's Month, we are sharing stories from families who know this disease firsthand, including "The Wire" actor Andre Royo, who cared for his mother, Andrea Royo; Teri Youngdale, whose mother, Gail, is living with Alzheimer's now; and Leticia, who is caring for her mother alongside raising her teenage son.

Watch their stories and explore risk factors and the latest research at https://t.co/yvcgKpY4cG.

[International Society for Molecular Neurodegen. @ISMND1]

Jimmy Liu of @_BrightFocus welcomes us all to #ISMND2026 and encourages networking and scientific collaborations

[International Society for Molecular Neurodegen. @ISMND1]

Short Talk I: BrightFocus Foundation-supported session. Chair: Jimmy Liu @_BrightFocus #ISMND2026

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

Meet June Kinoshita, a longtime monthly donor to BrightFocus Foundation's National Glaucoma Research program. 💙

June is a former science editor and journalist and a past member of the BrightFocus board of directors. She was drawn to bold research that goes beyond lowering eye pressure and works to protect the retinal ganglion cells that form the optic nerve.

Read her story. ↘️

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

🚨 Protect your home. Prepare for emergencies. Stay safe.

Tune in on Oct. 28 for a Macular Chat featuring Lt. Thomas Medeiros, a retired firefighter and EMT, who is legally blind from wet AMD.

He’ll share practical fire safety and emergency preparedness tips for people living with low vision.

Register today: https://t.co/ptwjRRa4iW

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

Researchers have identified 14 Alzheimer's risk factors that can be changed, spanning every stage of life.

They include hearing loss, high LDL cholesterol, physical inactivity, social isolation, depression, diabetes, and untreated vision loss.

You can act on many of them today. Schedule that overdue eye exam. Get your cholesterol checked. Book a hearing test. Take regular walks.

🧠♥️ Find out more: https://t.co/fxqfIL9kX0

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

Most Alzheimer’s antibody treatments run into the same obstacle: the blood-brain barrier. Only a small fraction of the drug actually reaches the brain.

Trontinemab, an investigational therapy, uses a brain shuttle to carry its anti-amyloid antibody across that barrier. In early trials, it cleared amyloid three times faster than current antibody treatments, using just one-third of the dose. It may also cut ARIA, one of the major side effects, by 50% or more compared with antibodies already on the market.

In the full episode of Zoom In on Dementia & Alzheimer’s, Dr. Gil Rabinovici of UCSF explains how trontinemab works, what the Phase III trials are testing and who may be eligible.

🎥 Watch the full episode: https://t.co/KvThTnFyGm

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

She lived 10 minutes from her eye clinic. It took her almost a week to get there.

When her vision suddenly changed, the friend who usually drove her was sick. By the time she found a ride, her dry macular degeneration had turned wet, and she lost vision in her better eye.

It wasn’t because she didn’t understand her disease or couldn’t afford care. She just had no way to get there.

Rides in Sight offers free rides to sight-saving appointments.

Watch the full episode: https://t.co/PFI9HV79AL

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

⌚ Dr. Paul Newhouse joins us tomorrow to talk about Cobenfy, a schizophrenia drug now being studied in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

He’ll discuss what researchers have learned so far about the drug, also known as KarXT. He’ll also cover what ongoing clinical trials could mean for people living with Alzheimer’s and their families.

🔗 Watch Live. ↘️ https://t.co/I7APJpAW6s

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

Tomorrow! Don't miss this special Glaucoma Chat.

Join Stacy Pagos Haller, president & CEO of BrightFocus Foundation, for an inspiring conversation about her personal experience living with glaucoma.

Hear how her diagnosis shaped her journey, learn about the impact of research on the glaucoma community, and discover why there is reason for hope.

🎧 Listen live. ↘️ https://t.co/maCBi7A6rD

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

APOE4 is the strongest common genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's. But having it doesn't mean you'll get the disease.

A large clinical trial called FINGER found that exercise, healthy eating, brain training and managing heart health helped protect thinking skills, even in people who carry APOE4.

Watch the full episode and other episodes of Let's Talk Alzheimer's: https://t.co/FrPxopdg3c.

Listen to Let's Talk Alzheimer's on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

Your gut may have more to do with your brain than you think.

BrightFocus Foundation Alzheimer's Disease Research grant recipient Dr. Miguel Moutinho is studying how gut bacteria and niacin production may affect brain health.

His teams' research could point to an entirely new way of treating Alzheimer's disease.

Read more: https://t.co/CKEErRM1NS

#Alzheimers #Neuroscience #Science

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

Could a blood test change how we diagnose Alzheimer's?

Dr. Schindler says these new tests could help more families learn whether memory and thinking problems are caused by Alzheimer's or something else, and help identify people who may benefit from new treatments.

She believes they could lead to "a transformation in care."

▶️ Watch more: https://t.co/2MLBGVJ315

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

A new imaging tool could give researchers their clearest look yet at how fluid drains from the eye.

Developed by National Glaucoma Research–funded scientist Dr. Tyson Kim, the noninvasive technology can continuously track fluid flow, cell by cell, in the living eye, which hasn't been possible before. By showing how that drainage regulates eye pressure, and how it breaks down in glaucoma, the platform could point to new treatment targets to protect sight.

Learn more: https://t.co/pM216PVYxc

[Ksenia Kastanenka, PhD @kastanenka]

Special thanks to Tri Doan for leading the effort, also to our co-authors Dmitry Gerashchenko, Igor Timofeev and Zhe Liu. Thanks to the funders who made this work possible: @_BrightFocus, Cure Alzheimer's Fund, @ChanZuckerberg, @NIH.

[Ksenia Kastanenka, PhD @kastanenka]

@_BrightFocus @ChanZuckerberg @NIH Publication can be accessed here: https://t.co/O9LNCuAdH7.

@MassGenBrigham, @MGBResearchNews, @harvardmed

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

A glaucoma diagnosis can change your life, but it can also inspire purpose and hope.

In a special Glaucoma Chat on Oct. 14, Stacy Pagos Haller, president and CEO of BrightFocus Foundation, will share her personal journey living with glaucoma and how it has influenced her perspective as both a patient and a leader.

Discover why research matters, the hope it brings to people affected by glaucoma, and how donors help accelerate the search for better treatments and a cure.

🔗 Register today. ⤵️ https://t.co/vx7FM7whhx

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

🧠 Could a schizophrenia drug help treat Alzheimer’s symptoms?

Cobenfy, which the FDA approved in 2024, works differently from older antipsychotic drugs. Researchers want to know whether it can help people with Alzheimer’s disease who have cognitive impairment, psychosis, and agitation.

Dr. Paul Newhouse will break it down on Oct. 15.

Join us: https://t.co/OIFFVYNMQJ

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

Dementia often has more than one cause. Alzheimer's is the most common single cause, accounting for roughly 60% of dementia cases.

But as neurologist Dr. James E. Galvin explains, many researchers now think mixed dementia may be the most common form of all.

Watch the full conversation to learn how to spot early warning signs, how Lewy body dementia differs from Alzheimer's, and what treatment options are emerging: https://t.co/JDriKKok3N.

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

🔬 🚀 Every breakthrough begins with a bold idea.

This year, BrightFocus supported 182 research grants across 17 countries, advancing the fight against Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, and glaucoma.

Explore: https://t.co/DY0rkWsamT

[BrightFocus Foundation @_BrightFocus]

Reminder: We're live tomorrow!

Don't miss tomorrow's Macular Chat featuring Daisy Shu, PhD, who will discuss her research on a new drug delivery approach for wet age-related macular degeneration.

Learn how emerging treatments may help make treatment easier by reducing the need for frequent eye injections while supporting long-term vision outcomes.

🔗 Listen Live: https://t.co/nESwU5ZmkN