Dementia Research Updates

Research Updates: Dementia & Alzheimer's Disease

Learn about the latest advances in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias!

April 22, 2026 | 6 p.m.

Choose how you will attend:

In-person | 0120 Theatre (lower level), Student Union, UW-La Crosse
Online | via live stream

Free Public Talk: Advances in Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia Care

Stay informed about the latest progress in understanding and treating Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in this timely, free presentation. The talk will highlight recent discoveries and care advances, with special attention to important research happening right here in Wisconsin.

You’ll learn how new, simple blood tests are helping researchers and clinicians detect changes in the brain earlier than ever before. These tools are improving how we recognize memory and thinking changes, understand how Alzheimer’s develops over time, and plan future care.

The presentation will also explain newly approved Alzheimer’s medications in clear, practical terms, along with non-drug approaches that are already helping people living with dementia and those who care for them. The speaker will discuss what we still need to learn, where research is headed next, and how these advances may shape care in real-world settings.

Designed for a broad audience, this session is accessible to healthcare professionals, caregivers, students, and community members alike. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of where Alzheimer’s research and care are going—and why these developments matter for individuals, families, and communities.

Senior citizens after an exercise class. Physical excercise can help prevent or delay dementia.

This event is free and open to the public. Your RSVP is appreciated.

Who should attend

Behavioral Health Professionals
Community Members
Community Organization Leaders & Staff
Educators
Faculty & staff
Family Caregivers
Healthcare Providers & Administrators

Health Education Specialists
Health Promotion Professionals
Medical Professionals
People with dementia and their family & friends
Public Health Professionals
Social Workers
Students

This presentation is made possible by UW Connects — engaging with Wisconsin, one experience at a time.

Coordinated by UWL Graduate & Extended Learning — connecting the university to the community.

Presenter

Kimberly Mueller, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Kimberly Mueller, Ph.D.Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health/College of Letters and Science | Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute & Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Kimberly Mueller is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and a Research Affiliate in the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute and Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Center. Research interests include changes in language in aging and dementia, and interventions to maintain function in aging and dementia.

Dr. Mueller’s research focuses on understanding the neural mechanisms and behavioral aspects of speech and language changes across the spectrum of aging, preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia, and other forms of dementia. Her work utilizes naturalistic speech-language samples as one means of analyzing and understanding subtle changes to communication. Dr. Mueller is also interested in the design and testing of identification methods of early cognitive change in the presence of AD biomarkers, and multimodal therapeutic interventions to address cognitive-communication difficulties in MCI and dementia due to neurodegenerative disease.

Location

Student Union Theater, 0120 Lower Level
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
521 East Avenue North
La Crosse, WI 54601

Parking

Parking at UWL requires the purchase of a permit. Visitors can purchase a permit in the following ways:

Using the Passport mobile app (zone numbers listed on the lot signs).
Visiting the Parking Services Office during business hours (located at 17^th and Farwell Streets).