Dementia does not affect all communities equally. In the United States, African Americans are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, shaped by a complex interplay of cardiovascular health, structural inequities, access to care, lifelong socioeconomic factors, and genetic influences. Addressing these disparities requires more than medical advances—it calls for trusted community leadership, culturally relevant education, and powerful storytelling that can reduce stigma and inspire action.In this episode of the Dancing into Brain Health podcast, we are joined by award-winning filmmaker, best-selling author, Certified Dementia Practitioner, and founder of Expose Dementia, Chuck Nathaniel Brown. Following his own family's experience with dementia, Chuck has dedicated his career to using film, literature, community engagement, and the arts to transform how we understand dementia—particularly within African American communities. Through his documentary Remember Me: Dementia in the African American Community, his book Exposing Dementia: 8 Critical Takeaways for African Americans, and the annual Expose Dementia Conference, he has built a vibrant grassroots movement that brings together artists, researchers, healthcare professionals, care partners, and people living with dementia.Together, we explore the extraordinary role that the arts can play in increasing awareness, fostering dialogue, challenging stigma, and creating spaces where communities can learn, heal, and advocate together.Learn more about C. Nathaniel Brown:www.ExposeDementia.org.Read and watch more:Remember Me: Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease in the African American Communityhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt31958645/Papa’s Song – Short Film About a Family Navigating Dementiahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2ms3GOT3fAExpose Dementia Conferencehttps://exposedementia.org/conferenceJoin a national survey led by Expose Dementia and Dr. Natalie Douglas from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette to better understand the Experiences Around Dementia Diagnosis and Care – specifically among the African American communityhttps://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=zrCzE3XNpEm_6goDsB_xq2fP86K4aSJBnluew-DLwLtUMDJaVlFESlpQSTBJN0dDUVBRSTM4RUo1NS4u&route=shorturlThis episode of Dancing into Brain Health was edited and produced Magda Kaczmarska and Hilary Brown-Istrefi. The music for this show is the title cut from the album, Critical Path by Joe Venegoni and Carl Weingarten.
Our senses of smell and taste shape some of life’s most meaningful and pleasurable experiences — from the perfume of a spring day to the familiar aroma of our grandmother’s apple pie. Yet we rarely stop to consider how deeply these everyday sensory experiences are connected to the brain and its health.In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Rona Graham, a neuroscientist whose research explores olfactory function as an early biomarker for cognitive impairment. Together, we unpack how this often-overlooked sensory process is intimately tied not only to the richness of our daily lives, but also to cognition, memory, and overall brain health.Visit our website for show notes, links and more and be sure to follow us! If you like what you hear, please leave us a review!https://dancestreamprojects.org/dancing-into-brain-health-podcastLearn more about Dr. Rona Graham:https://sites.google.com/view/ronakgraham/homeDr. Rona Graham is the Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Research Centre on Aging, Universite de Sherbrooke. Her research interests include olfactory system dysfunction in Neurodegenerative diseases, olfactory therapy as a measure to delay symptoms in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer disease, the development of a public Smell and Taste Clinic of offer olfactory testing and training, leading olfactory therapy clinical trials, the development of clinical tests to detect premanifest dementia and other therapeutic approaches including caspases and cell death pathways.The overall goal of Professor Graham’s health science research program is to delineate mechanisms in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases that will allow approaches to therapy that will halt progression or lead to a cure for such disorders. In particular her focus is on Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), Alzheimer (AD) and Huntington disease (HD) and the olfactory system dysfunction. Her long-term goal is developing a multi-modal, longitudinal approach, to relate the imaging measures to the age-dependent behavioral and neuropathological changes in MCI, AD and HD. This will enable delineation of underlying mechanisms, determination of early and robust clinical endpoints for trials, and identification of drug targets.Read more about the connection of smell, taste and the brain:Volumetric MRI Demonstrates Atrophy of the Olfactory Cortex in ADhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33327913/Olfactory Dysfunction Associated with Cognitive Decline in an Elderly Populationhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36545820/Specific olfactory deficit patterns observed in seniors and associated with cognitive declinehttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37120003/Amelioration of Cognitive and Olfactory System Deficits in APOE4 Transgenic Mice with DHA Treatmenthttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37329383/Early deficits in olfaction are associated with structural and molecular alterations in the olfactory system of a Huntington disease mouse modelhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32436947/Diet enriched in omega-3 fatty acids alleviates olfactory system deficits in APOE4 transgenic micehttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34549475/This episode of Dancing into Brain Health was edited and produced Magda Kaczmarska and Hilary Brown-Istrefi. The music for this show is the title cut from the album, Critical Path by Joe Venegoni and Carl Weingarten.
Dance has long been described as a universal language — a form of expression that transcends words, cultures, and generations. Through rhythm, gesture, and movement, dance allows us to communicate emotion, tell stories, and connect with one another in deeply human ways. Whether we are moving ourselves or witnessing others move, dance has a remarkable ability to draw us in, awaken something within us, and make us feel understood without a single word being spoken.But what if dance does more than communicate? What if it can actually help us speak?In this episode of Dancing into Brain Health, we explore the fascinating intersection of dance, neuroscience, and communication with dancer and neuroscientist Dr. Constantina Theofanopoulou. Her groundbreaking research investigates the neural substrates of speech and the ways movement — particularly dance — may support, strengthen, and even rehabilitate our ability to communicate.Together, we uncover how rhythm and movement may activate some of the brain’s deepest communication networks, opening new possibilities for understanding speech, connection, and the profound relationship between the moving body and the speaking mind.Visit our website for show notes and links to learn more: https://dancestreamprojects.org/dancing-into-brain-health-podcastTo learn more about Dr. Constantina Theofanopoulou: https://www.constantinatheofanopoulou.com/Read more about the connection of dance, communication and speech“Dancing towards speech improvement: Repurposing dance for motor speech deficits in neurodegenerative diseases” https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/13872877241313304“Impact of Amazonian Dance on Speech Performance in People with Parkinson’s Disease” https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.12.699086v1.full“Mobile brain imaging in butoh dancers: from rehearsals to public performance”https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39506628/Join Dr. Theofanopoulou’s Research Study - Investigating the brain mechanisms of a dance-based intervention in Parkinson’s Diseasehttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdhdt8B0KFXuF2UR7GZ-Fh-TDTb7psmbT9zsIIalPAza8Wyg/viewformThis episode of Dancing into Brain Health was edited and produced Magda Kaczmarska and Hilary Brown-Istrefi. The music for this show is the title cut from the album, Critical Path by Joe Venegoni and Carl Weingarten.
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month 2026, DanceStream Projects executive director Magda Kaczmarska sat down with Mark Timmons, artist, advocate and person living with dementia, for a conversation about the intersections of mental health and brain health.Resources: Mental Health Month Action Guidehttps://mhanational.org/2026-mental-health-month-action-guide/Pathways To Wellbeing with Dementia: https://daanow.org/pathways/Mark Timmons Poetry: https://marktimmonsphotography.com/poetry/About Mark Timmons: Mark Timmons is an active member of the Eden Alternative and serves as a leader within the Dementia Action Alliance (DAA). Since being diagnosed with dementia in early 2017 at age 48, he has drawn on his personal experience to inform his advocacy and leadership. As his condition has progressed, Timmons has focused on the creative arts, strongly supporting the link between artistic expression, movement, and brain health. He is a member of the Eden Alternative’s Speakers Bureau, is the longest-serving member of DAA’s Advisory Board and co-hosts several of DAA’s Virtual Engagement Programs and Discussion Groups. Mark also routinely collaborates with DanceStream Projects on artistic and advocacy projects.In addition to his work with DAA, Timmons is a photographer, writer/poet, and advocates for causes related to homelessness and mental health. You may find him in the garden, on a hike (always with his camera), or researching family histories. Content Note: This conversation includes personal experiences related to mental health, including discussion of suicide loss and eating disorders. We recognize that these topics may feel sensitive or activating for some listeners and readers. We invite you to engage with this conversation in whatever way feels most supportive for you, whether that means taking breaks, listening with support, or choosing to return to it at another time. Our hope is that this conversation offers compassion, connection, and a reminder that no one has to navigate these experiences alone.More than one billion people in the world live with mental illness. You are not alone. If you or someone you love is in crisis, please call or text 988 or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
Brain health is not merely the absence of disease; it is the sum of our physical, emotional, social, and cognitive well-being. Designing social and physical environments that support brain health as we age is essential to ensuring dignity, autonomy, and security across the lifespan.In this episode of the Dancing into Brain Health Podcast, we are joined by Macarena Espina Díaz, whose work centers on building precisely these kinds of supportive environments. With a focus on inclusivity and human-centered design, she cultivates social and physical spaces that uphold dignity and enhance quality of life for people living with dementia.Macarena brings together her expertise as an industrial designer and artist to bridge academic, community, and policy spheres. Through her work, she fosters meaningful dialogue, advances policy, and promotes environmental adaptations that expand equitable access to resources for people living with dementia in her home country of Chile.As an Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at Trinity College Dublin, she collaborated with the University and local housing organizations to develop policy briefs, educational seminars, and design recommendations. These efforts contributed to envisioning Ireland’s first brain health–focused intergenerational housing community.Together, we explore the importance of inclusive design—particularly for those living with dementia—and consider how each of us can engage more intentionally with our social and physical environments to support brain health for all.Learn more about Macarena Espina Díaz:https://www.gbhi.org/profiles/macarena-espina-diazRead and watch more:https://www.viviendocondemencia.cl/Inclusive Design for People Living with Dementia in Chile[In Spanish/ En Español] https://www.canal9.cl/episodios/nuestra-casa/2021/05/05/viviendo-con-demencias-caja-de-herramientas-para-adecuar-el-hogar-de-quienes-viven-con-demencia[In Spanish/ En Español] The “Living with Dementia” toolkit free download via the following link | La caja de herramientas «Vivir con demencia» disponible para su descarga gratuita a través del siguiente enlace:https://www.uchile.cl/publicaciones/174559/caja-de-herramientas-viviendo-con-demencias[In Spanish / En Español] Launch and Discussion: "Let's Talk About Living with Dementia" | Lanzamiento y conversatorio "Hablemos de Vivir con Demencia"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s18pImHoglgInclusive Environments for People Living with Dementia from Rural Areas of Chile and their Familieshttps://www.gbhi.org/projects/inclusive-environments-people-living-dementia-rural-areas-chile-and-their-familiesFostering the Enjoyment of Eating through Inclusive Strategies for People Living with Dementiahttps://www.gbhi.org/news-publications/fostering-enjoyment-eating-through-inclusive-strategies-people-living-dementiaTool Kit: Strategies to facilitate eating and swallowing in people living with early-stage dementia (2025)https://libros.uchile.cl/1494Caja de herramientas “Estrategias para favorecer la alimentación y deglución de personas con demencia en etapas tempranas”https://uchile.cl/publicaciones/217343/caja-de-herramientas-estrategias-para-alimentacion-y-demenciasBuilt environments that foster lifelong brain healthBrain Health and Housing (Global Brain Health Institute – Trinity College Dublin and Respond Housing Association – Ireland)https://www.gbhi.org/projects/brain-health-and-housingBringing brain health home: the importance of housing and the urban environment for building this generation’s brain healthhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/23748834.2024.2327815This episode of Dancing into Brain Health was edited and produced Magda Kaczmarska and Hilary Brown-Istrefi. The music for this show is the title cut from the album, Critical Path by Joe Venegoni and Carl Weingarten.