Dr. Natascha Merten, lead investigator of the Beaver Dam Offspring Study–Neurocognitive Aging Study (BOSS-NCAS), was recently featured on the Hometown Today show with host Wally Lucashinsky on 95.3 WBEV (Daily Dodge). In the interview, Merten educates listeners about the incredible history of BOSS-NCAS, a project that is nearly two decades old, to understand how our senses and brains change as we age.
During the segment, Merten discussed key findings from both BOSS-NCAS and its earlier companion studies, including long-term research on hearing, vision, smell, and memory that began in Beaver Dam in the early 1990s. She highlighted what researchers have learned so far about the links between sensory changes and cognitive decline, as well as why some people appear to age more healthfully than others.
Merten also outlined what’s next for BOSS-NCAS, including ongoing follow-up assessments, new data collection methods, and collaborations designed to uncover biological markers that may predict age-related changes.
Throughout the interview, Merten emphasized the essential role of Beaver Dam’s long-standing community support, crediting local participation across generations for making this landmark research possible and helping advance UW–Madison’s understanding of healthy aging.
You can watch Dr. Merten’s interview, beginning at minute 31:50, below: