New Book Traces Dementia Across Generations, Caregiving Strain

Two accounts highlight the personal and scientific dimensions of dementia. Robert Kolker’s new book follows a family affected by a genetic mutation linked to midlife cognitive decline, while tracing advances in researchers’ understanding of dementia and the potential of such families to inform treatments for broader forms of age-related brain impairment. In a separate caregiving story, Dugan Meredith describes how his mother-in-law’s worsening symptoms led to a frontotemporal dementia diagnosis and how care responsibilities shifted to his household, eventually requiring paid help. Together, the stories underscore dementia’s impact on families and the demands of caregiving alongside ongoing efforts to understand the disease.