Addressing Risk Factors for Neurocognitive Decline and Alzheimer’s Disease Among African Americans in the Era of Health Disparities

Front cover: The Clinical Spectrum of Alzheimer's Disease Mount, David L.; Rego, Maria Isabel; Amponsah, Alethea; Herron, Annette; Johnson, Darin; Sims, Mario; Hickson, DeMarc & Flack, Sylvia A. (). “Addressing Risk Factors for Neurocognitive Decline and Alzheimer’s Disease Among African Americans in the Era of Health Disparities.” In De La Monte, Suzanne (Ed.), The Clinical Spectrum of Alzheimer’s Disease: The Charge Toward Comprehensive Diagnostic and Therapeutic Strategies. Rijeka, Croatia: InTech. doi:10.5772/10661; ISBN: 978-953-307-993-6.

Judy Marie Willis

Judy Marie Willis Judy Marie Willis has for over two decades used words to inform, inspire and heal. An accomplished writer, editor, publicist and alternative health journalist, she has witnessed the transformative tool affirmative words and focused thought offers in her work as a lecturer and parent life coach. Ms. Willis believes that thoughts can manifest our greatest fears or our grandest desires. A former broadcast management executive and radio producer, Ms. Willis founded Tell the Truth Communications (T3C), a public relations firm specializing in New Thought promotions, in 1990. Her company uses organic and affirmative wording to create living documents that stimulate spiritual and intellectual awareness. She has had articles, essays and columns published in newspapers, magazines, anthologies and periodicals both in the U.S. and abroad.

Student-run clinic at Wake Forest School of Medicine receives Helping Hands Program Grant

Medical students Tiffany Covas and Natalie Cassell with Dr. Mount
Medical students Tiffany Covas and Natalie Cassell with Dr. Mount

DEAC Clinic, the student-run free medical clinic of Wake Forest School of Medicine has been awarded the Helping Hands Program Grant by the American Psychiatric Foundation. The Helping Hands Grant Program awards up to $5000 to medical students for mental health service projects in an initiative by the Foundation to increase participation in community service for underserved populations, raise awareness of mental health illnesses and the importance of their early detection, and increase interest in psychiatry among medical students. The DEAC, or Delivering Equal Access to Care, clinic is a free medical clinic managed by Wake Forest School of Medicine medical and physician assistant students and faculty in collaboration with Winston-Salem’s Community Care Clinic. DEAC‘s mission includes providing free, high-quality healthcare to local underserved individuals and communities in a sustainable manner through a weekly clinic and associated outreach activities, creating a unique, service-oriented learning experience for the students of Wake Forest University that includes educational enrichment opportunities, and fostering a culture within the Wake Forest community which values the importance of providing healthcare for the underserved. DEAC plans to implement the grant at its weekly clinic through a program designed to help identify prevalent mental health illnesses in their patients, educate all patients about mental health illnesses, and help patients find available community psychiatric resources.

Da’Lauren Mouzon-Smith: Student Intern Fall 2011/Spring 2012

Da'Lauren Mouzon-SmithMy name is Da’Lauren Mouzon-Smith, I am a Winston-Salem State University sophomore psychology major from various parts of the United States. As a military brat it is nearly impossible for me to claim any one place as home, yet trotting around the United States has opened my eyes up to many different people from very different walks of life. People and the welfare of them in numerous ways pertaining to the health of the brain are the inspiration for my aspirations. My major areas of interests include cognitive psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and neuropharmacology; it is my aspiration to obtain a Ph.D. and specialization in one of the three areas.

Marcus Wilson-Stevenson

Marcus Wilson-Stevenson Marcus Wilson-Stevenson, a man of vision, a dedicated “hands-on” inspired leader, founder of The Boyz R Back nonprofit organization, & 3MV Management enhancing the image of professional athletes. In 1997, returning from Atlanta G.A. where he served as volunteer with outreach programs such as The Hosea Williams feed the homeless project. Stevenson served as Order Instructor for 9 years at the Forsyth County Correctional Center. Reaching youth he began to realize would be an excellent way to prevent the tragedies of prison life for many. To connect with young people, he began working as a middle school assist EC teacher in the Winston Salem/Forsyth County, where he asked students to write their goals down. He discovered a disturbing trend; some students had no dreams nor goals, and some student athletes dreamed of only large paychecks. No plans exited for reaching their potential academically, spiritually, or even physically.

Marcus Wilson-Stevenson’s biography

Madeleine Langr: Student Intern Fall 2011

Madeleine Langr Madeleine Langr is currently a freshman studying at Wake Forest University. She was originally born in Charleston, West Virginia but moved to Salt Lake City, Utah when she was nine years old. During high school she was the president of the West High Debate team and has continued debating in college. Madeleine has expressed interest in the medical field by being a member and the president of her high school’s Health Occupation Students of America club and competing in various medical knowledge related events at the state conference. Additionally, Best Buddies was a club that was very important to her in high school. Best Buddies pairs up high school students with students from the special learning program so that they can create a friendship and spend time getting to know each other. Some of her other hobbies include playing piano and soccer. She doesn’t have concrete career goals yet, but is interested in going into the medical field. Madeleine is currently taking the classes necessary to fulfill the pre-medical requirements while also exploring possible majors such as psychology.

Christina Sherrill: Student Intern Fall 2011

Christina Sherrill Chrissy Sherrill is an undergraduate student at Salem College and a Forsyth County native. She is slated for graduation in May 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in both Biology and Chemistry. Her leadership skills, which were developed in the workplace, have carried over to her role as President of the Beta Alpha Chapter of Tri Beta. Chrissy enthusiastically joined Dr. Mount’s team of Health Equity Ambassadors in August 2011 and is particularly looking forward to the Diabetes and Chronic Diseases Support Group sessions run by Dr. Mount at the Downtown Health Plaza. Chrissy is proud to be a part of Dr. Mount’s initiatives to shine a spotlight on the importance of patient education and the mental & physical health wellbeing of everyday people.

Leonardo Tjahjono: Student Intern Fall 2011

Leonardo Tjahjono I am Leonardo Tjahjono from Dallas, Texas. I was born in Indonesia and am able to speak its native language fluently. I moved to America when I was fifteen to pursue higher level of education which my native country lacks. I am currently attending Wake Forest University as a freshman. I am intending to major in Chemistry with concentration in biochemistry. Interested to attend Medical school in the future. I am interested to learn more about chronic disease, especially cancer, because my family has been greatly affected by it. It is from natural intuition that I want to dwell deeper into the medical field and advances that will be progressing in the world of science.

Cassandra Hardy: Student Intern Fall 2011

Cassandra Hardy Cassie Hardy, from Cary, NC is currently a junior at Salem College majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry. She is an honors student and full tuition scholarship recipient. She is the editor-in-chief of Salem College’s yearbook, a junior marshal, fundraiser chairman of Beta Beta Beta, orientation leader, tutor, and biology lab assistant. After graduating from Salem College she hopes to go to medical school. As a new intern at the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity with Dr. Mount she hopes to learn as much as possible about health disparities and to use the knowledge she gains to create change in the Winston-Salem community and beyond.