USC Center For Personalized Brain Health

06/03/2026

Deeply grateful to the Norman and Mary Pattiz Foundation for this visionary investment in the future of brain health. Excited to support and advance this important work across the Keck School of Medicine of USC, USC Center for Personalized Brain Health, and the USC Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center — accelerating earlier detection, precision prevention, and new therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer’s disease. 🧠

A $3 million gift from the Norman and Mary Pattiz Foundation is fueling a bold new direction in Alzheimer's research at the Keck School of Medicine of USC — stopping the disease before it starts.

Scientists at the USC Center For Personalized Brain Health have identified a family of enzymes tied to brain inflammation in people carrying the APOE4 gene, the single greatest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's. By targeting those enzymes, researchers believe they can interrupt the inflammation pathway before memory loss begins.

The gift will fund drug discovery, AI-driven detection of brain inflammation markers, and a new early-detection registry for high-risk individuals. It also establishes an endowed professorship in neuropathology, giving Anne Hiniker, MD, PhD, protected research time to study more than 1,100 brain tissue samples in USC's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center.

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05/22/2026

📖🧠 The Spring 2026 CPBH newsletter is here!

This issue highlights discoveries presented at the USC Center for Personalized Brain Health Annual Research Symposium, new research on APOE4 dementia risk prediction, emerging insights into neuroinflammation, and opportunities to participate in brain health research through CPBH SPARK.

👉https://keck.usc.edu/cpbh/newsletter/

👉 https://keck.usc.edu/cpbh/study-enrollment-hub/usc-cpbh-spark/

05/15/2026

Can hormone therapy protect the brain? Does timing matter? How might genetics like APOE4 influence risk? And what does the science actually tell us about dementia prevention?

Current evidence suggests hormone therapy is neither a “miracle solution” nor something to universally fear. Its effects may depend on timing, vascular health, genetics, symptom burden, and individual risk factors. Importantly, hormone therapy remains the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms — but there is still no strong randomized evidence that it prevents dementia.

📖 Read the full science-based discussion on our Substack: https://www.yassinelab.org/p/hormone-replacement-therapy-brain

📖 Read more from the ELITE study: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1505241

📞 Interested in personalized evaluation or guidance? Contact the USC Center for Personalized Brain Health to learn more about our clinical programs, (323) 442-6845.

05/14/2026

Hussein N. Yassine, Director of USC Center For Personalized Brain Health, unpacks a new omega-3 and Alzheimer’s study — and explains what the science actually tells us about fish oil, brain aging, and cognitive decline.

And why association is not causation

05/08/2026

Another meaningful opportunity to connect with our community, colleagues, and collaborators around the shared mission of advancing brain health and deepening our understanding of the role of APOE in Alzheimer’s disease and healthy aging. Discussions like these are critical to translating emerging science into more personalized approaches to prevention, risk assessment, and care.

Join us today for an HMRI Scientific Lecture featuring Hussein Yassine, Professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, presenting:

“Drug Discovery for APOE4 Neuroinflammation: It Takes A Village”

📅 Wednesday, May 6
⏰ 3–4 PM PT
📍 In-person & Zoom
👉 Register: https://bit.ly/4d6UrKH

Dr. Yassine’s research explores how lipids, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, influence Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline in individuals carrying the APOE ε4 gene variant, a major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s. His multidisciplinary work spans basic science, brain imaging, and clinical trials, helping advance new approaches to prevention and treatment.

05/06/2026

We’ve heard the message for years: sitting too much is bad for you. Emerging research suggests HOW you spend sedentary time may matter too—time spent reading, learning, creating, or solving may engage the brain differently than more passive forms of sitting.

The simplest advice still holds. Sit less. Move more. And when you do sit, make it count.

For brain health, small, consistent habits that challenge attention and support learning add up over time.

Read the latest Substack from USC Center For Personalized Brain Health Director, Dr. Hussein Yassine: https://substack.com/home/post/p-194719875

Learn more about the USC Center For Personalized Brain Health Prevention Clinic: https://keck.usc.edu/cpbh/prevention-clinic/

05/05/2026

Developments in our drug discovery program were recently featured by Inside Precision Medicine, highlighting USC’s work to advance a selective small molecule targeting cPLA2—an enzyme central to inflammatory signaling in Alzheimer’s disease.

Drug screening identified BRI-50460 to inhibit cPLA2 without eliminating its broader activity in the brain.