History of Medicine Lecture: The Evolution of Alzheimer’s Disease Assessments: Insights from Longitudinal Epidemiologic Cohorts with Brain Autopsy End Points

This presentation by Dr. Margaret (Maggie) Flanagan, MD, will explore the evolution of Alzheimer’s disease pathology assessments, tracing the journey from Alois Alzheimer’s first description in 1906 to modern biomarker-driven frameworks.

Drawing on landmark longitudinal studies such as the Nun Study and the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study, Dr. Flanagan will highlight how brain autopsies, epidemiology, and advances in neuropathology have reshaped our understanding of dementia. The lecture will examine the role of co-existing brain lesions, the paradigm shift from clinic-based to population-based research, and how emerging tools like digital pathology and AI are transforming diagnosis and prevention strategies.

Dr. Flanagan is an Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, where she holds the Baptist Health Foundation Endowed Chair in Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Disease Research.