In this issue, find out whether reporting dementia diagnoses to the DMV can have unintended consequences, see what’s shaking with the latest earthquake hazard model and discover why adolescents overindulging on junk food can cause long-term memory issues.

Also, meet some of the amazing USC Dornsife graduates from the Class of 2024.

Some states require that physicians report a diagnosis of dementia to the DMV. A study from the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research suggests these mandates may backfire.

Why it matters: Policymakers face increasing safety concerns about elderly drivers, who are at greater risk of dementia, but no studies have examined the effects of state policies requiring clinicians to report dementia cases to the DMV — until now.

By the numbers: The population of elderly U.S. drivers is growing.

At issue: Are physicians who are mandated to report dementia diagnoses less likely to establish such a diagnosis?

Key finding: Physicians in states with mandatory reporting laws are 50% more likely to underdiagnose dementia, compared to those in states without such mandates.

What else? Knowing that their physicians must report a dementia diagnosis, patients might be more inclined to refuse further assessments.

Impact: If patients withhold symptoms, or physicians are reluctant to examine dementia symptoms, health outcomes could decline while costs increase.

A new, national earthquake hazard model is available, thanks in large part to USC Dornsife’s Statewide California Earthquake Center (SCEC).

Why it matters: Improved earthquake hazard assessment informs building codes and insurance rates, better equipping communities to prepare for seismic events.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Seismic Hazard Model helps engineers, policymakers and government agencies assess the risk of damage from earthquakes.

The model includes two main components:

USC Dornsife alumnus Kevin Milner was a SCEC researcher when he helped build the new model by developing earthquake rupture forecasts.

What’s next: Milner, now at the USGS, hopes to study earthquakes that begin in one fault and jump to another — the type that slammed Turkey and Syria in 2023 — and build models that account for the time elapsed since a previous event.

New research from scholars in USC Dornsife’s Department of Biological Sciences suggest that a high-fat, sugary diet during adolescence could lead to long-lasting memory impairments.

Why it matters: The study found that memory impairments induced by poor diet during adolescence persist into adulthood, even after switching to a healthier diet.

How it works: Diets high in sugars and fats disrupt the levels of acetylcholine in the brain.

Researchers tracked memory responses and acetylcholine levels in rats consuming a high-fat, sugary diet versus those on a healthier diet, using tasks designed to assess their recall of previously encountered objects.

In his words: “I don’t know how to say this without sounding like Cassandra and doom and gloom, but unfortunately, some things that may be more easily reversible during adulthood are less reversible when they are occurring during childhood,” says lead author Scott Kanoski, professor of biological sciences at USC Dornsife.

What to watch: Researchers discovered that drugs administered directly to the brain that induce the release of acetylcholine could reverse the memory impairments in rats, but more research is needed on this and to find other ways to reverse the memory problems.

Hear from members of the class of 2024 about what makes them most proud.

Jane Coaston, New York Times contributing writer, CNN commentator and USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future fellow, delivered an inspiring speech to the Class of 2024.

Jaime Gomez, a single parent and U.S. Army veteran, left a successful career at 43 to pursue his passion for history and earn his undergraduate degree.

Sophia Perez, a political science major, has dedicated herself to advocating for housing security after having once been unhoused herself.

Sibo “Carl” Zhou graduates from USC Dornsife with four bachelor’s degrees, a testament to his ambitious spirit and broad intellectual pursuits.

Come to the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability on Catalina Island, where the entire family can learn about critical environmental issues and emerging solutions. Round-trip ferry and food included.

Jun. 15, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Santa Catalina Island