Andrea Gilmore-Bykovskyi discussed emerging science of lucidity in advanced dementia in The New York Times Magazine, Science Friday and on Wisconsin Public Radio
For families caring for someone with advanced dementia, an unexpected moment of recognition, conversation or connection can feel remarkable.
These experiences, known as lucid episodes, have long been reported by clinicians and caregivers but remain poorly understood. Andrea Gilmore-Bykovskyi, PhD, RN, a dementia researcher and associate professor in the BerbeeWalsh Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, is helping lead a national effort to better understand why they occur and what they may reveal about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
The topic has recently drawn national and regional media attention:
- Read: The New York Times Magazine — “The Mystery of Terminal Lucidity”
- Listen: “Science Friday” — “Moments of Lucidity in Alzheimer’s and Dementia”
- Listen: Wisconsin Public Radio — “Wisconsin Today”
Researchers still lack a standard definition for lucid episodes and do not yet know how common they are, why they happen or what they may tell us about the brain. Gilmore-Bykovskyi’s research is helping characterize these episodes, including changes in communication, behavior and awareness, and their impact on the family members and caregivers who experience them.
That work is now expanding through the Lucidity in Alzheimer’s and Dementia Network, or LEAD Network, the first national collaborative research network focused on advancing the science of lucidity in dementia. Gilmore-Bykovskyi co-leads the National Institutes of Health-backed effort with Joan Griffin, PhD, a researcher and professor at Mayo Clinic who has studied lucid episodes in people with advanced dementia.
The LEAD Network brings together researchers and experts across disciplines to establish shared research priorities for improving how lucid episodes are identified and measured, build resources needed to conduct future studies, and directly support promising research that advances the field.
Building a stronger scientific foundation for studying lucidity could help scientists finally understand the phenomenon, says Gilmore-Bykovskyi — and ultimately lead to better care for people living with dementia and better support for family and caregivers.
Learn more: Read UW co-leads first national research network to study lucidity in dementia or visit gilmorebykovskyilab.org.
This research is supported by the National Institute on Aging (R61AG092355). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.