University of Wisconsin–Madison

Welcome to the Cognitive-Communication in Aging and Neurogenic Disorders Laboratory

Welcome to the homepage for the Cognitive-Communication in Aging and Neurogenic Disorders Laboratory (CCANDL). Our team seeks to understand preclinical signs of dementia, shed light on possible methods of early identification, and explore innovative intervention options. We seek interdisciplinary collaboration and community input for our projects.

Please feel free to contact our team at any time with questions about our work or how you can get involved!

CCANDL News

  • CCANDL at AAIC 2026: Presentation Schedule and Highlights

    CCANDL at AAIC 2026: Presentation Schedule and Highlights

    We are thrilled to share that the CCANDL will be well-represented at the upcoming Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC26) in London, UK! Our team members, students, and collaborators will be presenting cutting-edge…

  • The Dementia Matters Podcast New Website

    The Dementia Matters Podcast New Website

    The Dementia Matters podcast has a new website! The Dementia Matters podcast is hosted by the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program medical director and CCANDL collaborator, Dr. Nathaniel Chin. The show features…

Primary Aims of Our Lab

Neural Mechanisms

Understanding neural mechanisms of speech/language in aging individuals, and individuals with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and other forms of dementia.

Early Detection Tools

Design and testing of identification methods of early cognitive change in the presence of AD biomarkers.

Naturalistic Speech and Language Samples

Analysis of naturalistic speech-language samples as a means of gaining insight from subtle changes to communication in the context of aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

Therapeutic Cognitive-Communication Interventions

Creation of multimodal therapeutic interventions to address cognitive-communication difficulties in MCI and dementia due to neurodegenerative disease.