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Does a healthy lifestyle impact
brain aging? What are the early
markers for Alzheimer’s disease?
These are among the perplexing
questions being explored by Jeffrey
Burns, MD, principal investigator
of several brain aging research proj-
ects at the University of Kansas
Medical Center.
Burns is collaborating with
other researchers in the KU School
of Medicine’s Department of
Neurology, the Landon Center on
Aging, the Hoglund Brain Imaging
Center and the Energy Balance Lab
on the KU campus in Lawrence to
look at these questions.
For example, his Brain Aging
Project is enrolling people 65 years of
age and older who have little or no
memory problems, as well as those in
the early stages of Alzheimer’s dis-
ease. The project, which began in
November, looks at how physical fit-
ness and metabolism levels, weight
and body fat may impact brain aging.
It will also look at the structure and
volume of the brain itself and how it
changes with age.
“We believe this is the only large-
scale effort in the state of Kansas and
the greater Kansas City area to inves-
tigate human brain aging, Alzheimer’s
disease and the factors that contribute
to the rate of aging,” said Burns. “Our
hope is to determine the early markers
for the disease and, eventually, discov-
er ways to delay dementia onset and
promote healthier aging.”
Study participants attend four
sessions that include a complete
neurological and physical examina-
tion, memory testing, an MRI brain
scan, various laboratory tests, and
metabolic and fitness testing.
Pat Laubinger, MPA, RN, is the
clinical research nurse and study
coordinator. Phyllis Switzer, a psy-
chometrician, conducts the memory
testing. Others working on the proj-
ect include Bill Brooks, PhD,
director, Hoglund Brain Imaging
Center; Joseph Donnelly, PhD,
Energy Balance Lab; and Matthew
Mayo, PhD, Preventive Medicine
and Public Health.
Burns and his team are reviewing
recent evidence linking diabetes and
insulin metabolism with Alzheimer’s
disease. Their study coincides with
the launch of the Alzheimer’s
Association’s educational campaign
that encourages people to make
healthy lifestyle choices to help
reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
or other dementia.
Burns came to KUMC in July
from Washington University in
St. Louis where he was a postdoc-
toral fellow in the Alzheimer’s
Disease Research Center. His long-
term goal is to seek funding from
the National Institutes of Health to
create an Alzheimer’s Disease
Center at KUMC.
For more information about
this project or to enroll in the study,
contact the Brain Aging Project
office at 8-0685.
Page 2 What’s News
Page 3 Front & Center
Page 4 Classifieds, etc.
The University of Kansas Medical Center
02 DECEMBER 2004 • VOLUME 6 • NUMBER 49
Inside
Jeffrey Burns, MD, recently launched a new Brain Imaging Project to studyhuman brain aging and Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers Untangle Brain Aging Mysteries
2
Registrar/Assistant DeanThe KUMC Division of Student
Services will welcome Chris Meiers
as the new registrar and assistant
dean Dec. 6.
Meiers earned his bachelor’s and
master’s degrees from Fort Hays
State University. He has served as
senior admissions counselor at Fort
Hays State University and associate
registrar in the KUMC Division of
Student Services. Most recently,
Meiers was associate registrar at the
University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Stress ManagementThe University of Kansas
Hospital’s Employee Assistance
Program (EAP) will offer free stress
management training during the
holiday season.
The Centers for Disease Control
estimates that 80 percent of employ-
ees experience stress in their lives
and want to do something about it.
The hospital’s EAP partners at
New Directions will present two
workshops to help employees iden-
tify the origins of stress, recognize
the impact of stress on daily life
and develop a plan for effectively
managing it.
The workshops will be held in
Lied Auditorium, at 10:30 a.m.,
Wednesday, Dec. 8, and at 3:30 p.m.,
Tuesday, Dec.14.
Holiday PartiesHospital and university employ-
ees will celebrate the season with
holiday parties during December.
The theme for this year’s hospi-
tal parties is “Celebrate the Sharing,”
and attendees are encouraged to
bring nonperishable food items or
monetary donations for Harvesters.
Employees will receive invita-
tions, which should be used for
admittance. Here is the party schedule:
• Hospital: Wednesday, Dec. 22,
2:30-4:30 p.m. and 7-8:30 p.m.,
cafeteria.
• Support Services: Wednesday,
Dec. 22, 2-3:30 p.m., cafeteria.
• Broadmoor Building: Tuesday,
Dec. 21, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.,
second-floor conference room.
• Dialysis Building: Wednesday,
Dec. 22, noon-1:30 p.m., break
room.
• KU MedWest: Thursday, Dec. 16,
3:30-6:30 p.m., community room.
The university holiday party is set
for Friday, Dec. 17, from 2-5 p.m., in
the School of Nursing Atrium. The
theme for this year’s event is “The
Hagen Polar Express,” in honor of
retiring KUMC executive vice chan-
cellor Donald Hagen, MD. Food,
drinks and entertainment will be pro-
vided, and the university community
will have the opportunity to say good-
bye to Hagen and his wife, Karen.
Employees are also encouraged
to bring new children’s books for a
community book drive. Books will
be donated to the library of Frank
Rushton Elementary School,
Kansas City, Kan.
Hospital Retirement Hospital employees may con-
tribute new amounts to the Voluntary
457(b) Retirement Plan, effective
January 1, 2005.
The maximum amount employ-
ees can contribute each year has
increased from $13,000 to $14,000.
Employees who are 50 and over or
who will reach age 50 by the end of
2005 may contribute an extra
$4,000 to their plans during the cal-
endar year.
To enroll or make changes to
their Voluntary 457(b) Retirement
Plans, employees should stop by
Hospital Human Resources, 5040
Delp, or the AIG Valic office, Room
1017, main hospital. For more infor-
mation, contact Kim Self at 8-4521
or the AIG Valic office at 8-0113.
Family FundraiserThe KUMC chapter of the
Student National Medical Associa-
tion (SNMA) is helping the family
of a Rosedale Middle School stu-
dent during the holidays. The
student’s nine-person family lives in
a local shelter.
The SNMA is collecting labels
from Best Choice brand products at
two campus locations and trading
them for cash. Donors may bring
labels or money and pledged dona-
tions to Stoland Lounge noon-
1 p.m. Wednesdays or to the cafe-
teria noon-1 p.m. Fridays through
Dec.10. In return for collected
labels, Apple Market will donate
cash to the fundraiser.
For details, contact Josephine
Agbowo at [email protected].
Decking the HallKUMC Auxiliary members began hanging garlands, bows and ornaments
Nov. 29 in celebration of the holidays. Ginny Pugh placed tinsel and orna-
ments on the top section of the hospital lobby tree.
Winter WeatherThe KUMC campus received about
8 inches of snow Nov. 24, leaving
parking lots, trees, sidewalks and
buildings covered with a white layer
(above). The wet snow proved too
much weight for several limbs and
small trees across the region, including
the tree outside the Olathe entrance.
3
All in the FamilyBelow, Forrest Hoglund, chairman of KU First: Invest in
Excellence, carried an oversized check across the field Nov.
6 at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence. The check represented
the $24.9 million com-
mitted by KU and
hospital staff, faculty
and retirees during
the Family Campaign,
the employee part of
KU First. A total of
3,205 faculty, staff
and retirees from the
university’s four cam-
puses, including
KUMC, made pledges
or donations to the
campaign.
Captured MomentsFreelance journalist and photographer Lorna Tychostup
shared her experiences in Iraq during a Nov.19 slideshow
and discussion in the School of Nursing. Tychostup showed
photographs of Iraqi buildings, families, children and every-
day sights. The Office of Cultural Enhancement and Diversity
and Students Educating and Advocating for Diversity
(S.E.A.D.) co-sponsored the event. Pictured in front of the
photojournalist’s moving portraits were, from left, Sheila
Hegde and Aaron
Haug, co-presi-
dents of S.E.A.D.,
Tychostup, and
Patricia Thomas,
MD, associate
dean, Cultural
Enhancement
and Diversity.
Thursday, Dec. 2• 2005 American Heart Association
Heart Walk fundraiser: jewelry,scarves, purses and more, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., outside cafeteria. Cash andchecks only. 20 percent of proceedsgo toward the 2005 Heart Walk team.Also Dec. 3.
• “Dynamics of Endothelial CellBehavior in the Murine Allantois,”Erica Perryn, graduate student,Department of Anatomy and CellBiology, 4-5 p.m., Orr-Major 1025.
• History of Medicine Lecture:“Physicians in Combat,” KendallMcNabney, MD, 4:45 p.m. recep-tion, 5:30 p.m. lecture, ClendeningAuditorium.
Friday, Dec. 3• KUMC Bookstore Holiday Sidewalk
Sale, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Stoland Lounge.For more information, visithttp://www.kumedbooks.com.
• Biochemistry Formal Seminar:“Caspase-2-Mediated Engagementof the Mitochondrial ApoptoticPathway,” John D. Robertson, PhD,
11 a.m.-noon, Orr-Major 1023.
• Brown Bag Research Seminar:“Long-Term Care in Indian Country,”Linda Redford, RN, PhD, noon-1 p.m., School of Nursing B011.
• Visiting Professor Presentation: “OnHuman Aging, Balance and Falls,”James A. Ashton-Miller, PhD, noon-1 p.m., Wahl West. Lunch providedfor first 30 people.
Monday, Dec. 6• Student Wellness Informational
Table, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., StolandLounge. Also Dec. 7.
Tuesday, Dec. 7• Surgery Grand Rounds: “TPN or I.V.
Food Poisoning?” Paul Schloerb, MD,7-8 a.m., Clendening Auditorium.
• The Society for Neuroscience GrassTraveling Scientist Lecture: “The Pathfrom Nerve Growth Factor to AxonAssembly,” William Snider, MD, 11 a.m.-noon, Wahl West Auditorium.
Wednesday, Dec. 8• Internal Medicine Grand Rounds:
“Hepatoma Management,” James F.
Trotter, MD, 8-9 a.m., Sudler 3015.
• Central Plains Geriatric EducationCenter Fall Series: “NeurologicalDisorders in Older Adults,” AprilMcVey, MD, and Jeffrey Burns, MD,12:30-2:30 p.m., Landon Center. Toregister, contact Eva Baughman at 8-1464 or [email protected].
Coming Up
Classifieds, etc.Automotive
2001 Honda Odyssey SE, meticulouslyclean, 1 owner, power doors/locks/win-dows, keyless entry, alarm, TV/DVD/VCR,CD player, recent maintenance check/oilchange/alignment, 76K miles, $16,000.816-537-7997.
1993 Lexus SC300, pearl white, 5-speedmanual, leather, 6-CD changer, new tires,excellent condition, $6,500. 816-985-9887.
1991 Saab 900 convertible, clean, black,tan leather interior, looks good, runs well,black top with push-button operation,automatic, sheepskin seatcovers, $3,400OBO. 816-756-2802.
For Sale
Kenmore portable dishwasher, less than 3years old, $50. 913-299-9068.
Wurlitzer spinet piano, vintage 1950s,recently tuned, great sound, $500. 816-531-0992.
Cherry wood-finished dining room tablewith 3 removable glass inserts, 6 chairswith ivory-colored jacquard fabric, $250OBO. 816-674-7659.
KU men’s basketball tickets, vs. Universityof Louisiana-Lafayette, 2 reserved seats inupper northeast corner, 7 p.m., Dec. 11,face value $40/ticket. 913-390-5691.
2 twin-size box spring/mattress sets withmetal frame, used only 2 years in a smallchild’s room, very good condition, $150for both beds. 913-558-5279.
White desk with keyboard tray, 2 shelves,3 drawers (1 for hanging files), $100;white dresser, 6 drawers, great condition,purchased 1999, $100 or $175 for set.913-236-4763.
1-carat diamond gold house ring, size 7,papers included, $150; 11/2-carat diamondgold engagement ring, $350; authenticGucci signature hobo with silk signaturedust bag, black, excellent condition, origi-nal price $799, asking $225. 816-419-8263.
Completely remodeled house, 2 BR,upgraded plumbing/electric, 3 blocks fromKUMC, nice yard, zero down, priced forquick sale, $595/month. 913-940-0356.
House, cute, well cared for, Roeland Park, 2BR, beautiful hardwood floors, updateddécor, neutral colors, 10 min. from KUMC/Plaza/Westport, available for move-in mid-dle of December, $129, 950. 913-636-1446.
For Rent
2 BR, 1 BA, LR, new kitchen, FR, garage,5300 Sherwood, Roeland Park, $750/month.913-980-4690.
Irene M. Cumming Donald Hagen, MDPresident and CEO Executive Vice ChancellorThe University of University of KansasKansas Hospital Medical Center
Laura Coffey, EditorCarolen Collins, Internal Communications Manager
Kirk Buster, Graphic DesignJan Lewis, Editorial Manager
Val Renault, Senior WriterMary King, Communications Services Director
In The Center is a weekly employee publication published by The University of Kansas Hospital’sCommunications Services Department. Send story ideasto Laura Coffey, Bldg. 48, Room 1074, e-mail [email protected] or call 8-0446.
Ad Policy - Send or bring your ad, 30 words or less, to Bldg. 48, Room 1070, fax to 8-0241, or e-mailinthecenter by noon Thursday of the week before it isto run. Ads run free of charge for employees, studentsand volunteers. All ads must include the advertiser’sname and work extension (or student box number) forverification. Only home phone numbers–no pagernumbers or work extensions–will be published. Pleaseinclude area code. No ads for commercial services orpets for sale will be accepted. Ads will not be taken bytelephone. Ads may be held a week if space is limited.
3901 RAINBOW BOULEVARD • KANSAS CITY, KS 66160 • (913) 588-5000 • WWW.KUMC.EDU