Meetings

Most people donning virtual reality (VR) goggles are seeking the thrill of being immersed in a fictitious video game world. But some are donning them for an entirely different experience: to help researchers identify those most at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. As will be presented today at the annual conference of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS) in Boston, Mass., cognitive neuroscientists are increasingly turning to VR technology to develop innovative ways to assess cognitive decline. They are finding significant age-related and disease-related differences in how individuals can navigate and locate objects within a VR space, in some cases linking cognitive impairments to build up of Alzheimer’s proteins in the brain.

A memory is not a straight line from one point to another, even if we sometimes think of them like linear stories. This key insight that cognitive neuroscientists have known for many years is now guiding a new type of research—to explore not only how memories evolve over time but also how they can be strengthened or changed. Assisting researchers with this new exploration is a powerful tool: smartphones. At the annual meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS) in Boston, scientists will be presenting new data from smartphone studies about a range of actions people take can help them build stronger and more detailed memories.

Register now for a complimentary media pass for the ATS 2025 International Conference in San Francisco. We will have breaking news from the leading international conference for pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine.

Older people with obesity and overweight require access to proven treatment options and care to improve overall health and reduce other related health care costs. This briefing will feature medical and patient perspectives from Dr. Michael G. Knight and Dr. Kathryn Starr, as well as Jennifer L. Pettis, a registered nurse and patient advocate. Panelists will discuss the importance of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid’s (CMS) proposed rule (CMS-4208-P) which would expand access to anti-obesity medications for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries living with obesity.