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About My Guest
Dr. Dahyun Yi is a bilingual clinical neuropsychologist and researcher with over 15 years of experience in dementia research and neuropsychological assessment. Her work spans academic medicine, brain imaging research, and global clinical trials focused on Alzheimer’s disease and aging. She is passionate about bridging science, psychology, and real-world human experience, particularly around resilience, identity, growth and end-of-life questions. She currently serves as a Professor of Clinical Research at Seoul National University’s Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine.
To contact Dr. Yi, message her through LinkedIn.
In This Episode
Dr. Yi lays the foundation of expected brain changes in healthy aging—as people age, their cognition and processing speeds slow. When working with dementia, however, key pathways begin to degenerate, leading to a variety of complicated symptoms. Dr. Yi discusses dementia as an umbrella term covering 13-14 types of disease, with her research focusing specifically on Alzheimer's Disease. We learn about the biological basis of the disease that can begin as early as in one’s 40s. A complex process, Dr. Yi breaks it down into terms that non-scientists can track with and walks us through how the disease progression and symptom presentation can be so varied between individuals.
With the introduction of a new medication, Lequembi, providers are starting to have the opportunity to prevent or significantly slow progression of the disease. This has resulted in a “diagnostic paradigm shift” and allows the providers to begin looking at preventative screenings, as there is currently no way to reverse the course of the disease. In the spirit of prevention, Dr. Yi gives us tangible things we can do at any age to prioritize brain health. She recommends prioritizing healthy sleep, good vascular health, breaking up your routines, and treating hearing loss.
We venture into a discussion on AI and how the use of AI may impact brain health over the long-term. Research is starting to show that critical thinking can decline with AI use and critical thinking is necessary for a strong frontal lobe of your brain (a protective factor for Alzheimer’s).
Exploring failure within the context of Alzheimer's Disease, Dr. Yi reflects on the challenges and benefits of “aging in place” or utilizing care facilities. A sense of failure is common for caregivers when they are no longer able to safely care for their loved one within the home. All options for caring for someone with Alzheimer’s Disease are contingent on access to healthcare through insurance or financial means—it’s a broken system that we don’t have solutions for.
Finally, Dr. Yi shares her own perspective on failure, as researchers are faced with concrete failure directly when they seek publication and funding opportunities. She discusses how she began to shift her perspective over the course of her career, depersonalized the feedback she received, and began making progress toward her goals. Goals that have resulted in a prolific research profile and helping the public gain access to new tools for a vicious disease.
Resources Referenced
Still Alice starring Julianne Moore
For Dr. Yi’s research, head to PubMed and type in her name
Collaborating US lab at Indiana University School of Medicine’s Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
