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In this issue, find out whether the reporting of dementia diagnoses to the DMV can have unintended consequences, discover why adolescents overindulging on junk food can cause long-term memory issues and meet a few outstanding members of USC Dornsife’s 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 number 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.

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.

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

An international student from China, he pursued degrees in:

In his words: “I truly believe being well-rounded will help me adjust to whatever the future might hold,” says Zhou.

Having been unhoused during high school, USC Dornsife political science major Sophia Perez has dedicated herself to advocating for housing security.

When her father lost his job at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Perez’s family was forced to move into a single room at a relative’s house.

When Perez’s father died from cancer during her sophomore year, her passion for aiding the underserved increased.

In her words: “I did a lot of work in government services in L.A., and I really valued not only interacting with my community, but also giving back in a way that I really didn’t think I’d be able to while in college,” said Perez.

Single parent and U.S. Army vet Jaime Gomez, 43, left a successful, 16-year sales career to pursue his passion for history and teaching, earning his undergraduate degree with honors from USC Dornsife.

As a first-generation college student, Gomez never received college guidance from his family but ultimately achieved his lifelong dream of attending USC.

But he never forgot his passion for history, and in 2019, he quit his job to enroll in community college, then transferred to USC Dornsife in 2022, majoring in history.

In his words: “Don’t let fear dictate your decisions. I encourage everyone to follow their academic dreams. There’s nothing like the experience I had at USC,” said Gomez.

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“TV can be powerful. ... Especially for older people who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, television remains ‘the main source of news and it’s so propagandistic now.’”

Los Angeles Daily News interviewed Robert English of international relations, Slavic languages and literature and environmental studies for the article “Many Russian immigrants in Southern California believe propaganda that Nazis thrive in Ukraine.”

“I grew up steeped in television and in movies, mostly out of Hollywood. And so, my imagination is also rather visual, and as much as I criticize Hollywood, I still also think that it produces great works of art.”

WAtoday interviewed Viet Thanh Nguyen of English, American studies and ethnicity and comparative literature for the article “His book was rejected 13 times, now it’s a hit TV show.”

“Being able to research and contextualize a person who has a longer view of family history and community history, and ultimately, American history, that’s what it’s about — this collaboration.”

AP spoke with Duncan Ryūken Williams of East Asian languages and cultures, American studies and ethnicity and religion for the article “Ancestry website cataloguing names of Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II.”

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