Hi! I'm Sarayu and I am 15 years old, attending high school in New York. My interests include microbiology and neuroscience. One day, I hope to become a research oncologist or a neurologist. In my free time, I like to cook, watch many different kinds of movies, spend time with my friends and family, and travel to many different destinations. Reviewed Article:   The relationship between health-promoting lifestyles and depression in the elderly: roles of aging perceptions and social support by Wei Zhou, Defeng Chen, Zijing Hong, Hang Fan, Shen Liu and Lin Zhang Main Argument & Findings: The objective of this article is to address the influence of health-promoting lifestyles, any type of aging perceptions, social supporting and other psychosocial factors that may have an impact on elderly depression. Aging perception and various types of social support can be heavily influential to the mental well being of the elderly as age-wise depression can later increase the risks of developing neurodegenerative diseases like dementia (Zhou et. al, 2021). This journal article conducted a cross-sectional survey among hundreds of elderly people in various districts in China to asses their lifestyles, their social support, and any societal pressures that may hurt them mentally or emotionally. One of the results of this study was how a healthy-promoting lifestyle with little stress or hardship, frequent exercise and movement, and an emphasize on mental health and wellbeing showed significant improvement in preventing or decreasing elderly depression. Around 31.8% of the elders surveyed showed a positive health-promoting lifestyle, and these elders were the ones in the survey who were of the least risk of elderly depression and later had lower risk of developing any kind of neurodegenerative disease (Zhou et. al, 2021). This article impacted my understanding of neurodegenerative diseases in the elderly as it specified the important of maintaining a happy and balanced life as you get older, and the important of mental healthy and a state of happiness. Initially, I believed that the cause for neurodegenerative diseases was due to genetics, protein accumulation, or metabolic factors, but now I understand that social support and mental health also plays an influential role in preventing cognitive decline later in life. Importance for Youth: The information from this article is important for the youth to acknowledge as they can play a subsequent role in the social support and mental health of the elderly. The youth is the new generation, and together the youth can help their elders in their time of need and make sure that the elders' health, both physical and mental, is well, to prevent them from being at high risk of cognitive decline. This article encourages a positive and healthy lifestyle for elders which includes the youth actively helping elders, whether it is with simple household chores to help them at home, or whether it is spending time with grandparents to make sure they are always cared for and acknowledged. What I Learned:   From this article, I have learnt the importance of mental health in elders as it prevents neurodegenerative diseases and how proper social support can also prevent any cognitive decline later in life. There are many causes for cognitive decline in the elderly some of which can't be controlled such as genetics, but the aspects that can be controlled such as social support, age perceptions and health-promoting lifestyles, can be manipulated to effectively try and prevent any neurodegenerative diseases. I have learnt the significance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially emotionally, in the elderly to prevent cognitive decline. Using the information from this article, I will further help my community and my elders by supporting them with simple but important tasks to show how I care for them. Also spending time with grandparents and making an effort is a crucial aspect of social support and encouragement. Citations:  Zhou, W., Chen, D., Hong, Z., Fan, H., Liu, S., & Zhang, L. (2021). The relationship between health-promoting lifestyles and depression in the elderly. Quality of Life Research, 30(3), 721-728.

Hi! My name is Leslie Huang and I'm 16 years old. I'm from New York and have a strong interest in healthcare. Some of my favorite activities include ballet, track and field, and spending time with friends and family. Reviewed Article:   Innovative Approaches and Therapies to Enhance Neuroplasticity and Promote Recovery in Patients With Neurological Disorders: A Narrative Review by Jitesh Kumar et al. Main Argument & Findings: The main argument of this article is that improving neuroplasticity is key to brain rehabilitation. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to adjust and repair itself and proves to be crucial for recovery following a stroke, neurodegenerative illness, or traumatic brain injury. The article delves into various approaches, such as non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, VR/gamified rehabilitation, pharmaceutical therapies, neuromodulation techniques, exercise, and cognitive training. The article also sheds light on the challenges of neuroplasticity research. Everyone’s brain is different which calls for a lot of patient variability, therefore requiring highly tailored treatment plans and extensive research. This has made me realize that neuroplasticity is not necessarily innate, but rather a process that can be enhanced and improved upon through various interventions. Importance for Youth: This information is important for youth to acknowledge because understanding neuroplasticity can help them make informed decisions that promote brain health. Knowing this can be empowering, as it allows them to take control of their cognitive health and be motivated to constantly strive for personal growth. What I Learned:   I learned what exactly neuroplasticity is and how it relates to cognitive health. Encouraging people to take care of their brains is a proactive approach to maintaining and strengthening cognitive function. This understanding of neuroplasticity can be applied to everyday life, whether that includes regular exercise or consistently challenging your brain with new activities. It’s not just about treating cognitive decline after it occurs, but about actively preventing it before it starts. Citations: Kumar J, Patel T, Sugandh F, Dev J, Kumar U, Adeeb M, Kachhadia MP, Puri P, Prachi F, Zaman MU, Kumar S, Varrassi G, Syed ARS. Innovative Approaches and Therapies to Enhance Neuroplasticity and Promote Recovery in Patients With Neurological Disorders: A Narrative Review. Cureus. 2023 Jul 15;15(7):e41914. doi: 10.7759/cureus.41914. PMID: 37588309; PMCID: PMC10425702. IG: @leslie.huang_

Hi, my name is Andrew, and I'm a Sophomore in high school from Long Island. I hope to pursue a career combining AI and Medicine in the future. During my free time, I like to play multiple sports including Tennis, Running, and Kendo. Reviewed Article:   Early signs of dementia could be spotted through your eyes with new AI tool by McKenzie Beard Main Argument & Findings: The main argument of this Article is that AI plays a significant part in the medical field and is proven to predict brain decline years before symptoms even appear, allowing doctors to find solutions or more effective treatments to fight dementia. This impacted my understanding of the topic and gave me a deeper insight into how truly powerful AI is and how it could have a huge positive impact on the medical field. Importance for Youth: This information from this article is important for the youth to acknowledge because understanding how AI can predict brain decline before symptoms appear encourages the youth to think about long-term healthy choices to reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, AI's potential in the medical field can also inspire the youth to pursue careers in fields such as biomedical, biotech, and data science where they contribute to creating inventions that can benefit society. What I Learned:   What I learned from this article is that AI can predict brain decline years before symptoms appear, allowing doctors to try to find a solution and more effective treatments. This is an important development in the Field of Neurodegenerative diseases. In the real world, this could millions of elderly and help doctors diagnose these problems or even prevent them from happening before their symptoms. Citations:  New AI tool predicts brain decline before symptoms appear. (2025, March 8). New York Post. https://nypost.com/2025/03/08/health/new-ai-tool-predicts-brain-decline-before-symptoms-appear/?utm_source=chatgpt.com IG: @ andrewpan._

ForgetMeNotIntl Prevents Cognitive Decline through Art, Music, and Conversational Therapy. The built-in Pen Pal Companionship Program Enables the Youth to Interact with the Elderly, fostering Intergenerational Bonds. Join or Start a Chapter Today! A word from Glen Cove Senior Center's Activity Coordinator "Our members couldn’t stop talking about how much they enjoyed the experience and how appreciated they felt. You brought so much warmth and positivity to the event, and it meant the world to all of us." - Eric S. Welcome to Forget Me Not International, where we strive to prevent cognitive decline among the elderly population while bridging the gap between generations through our pen pal companionship program as a not-for-profit organization. Join us in creating lasting relationships with the elderly and promote meaningful connections! View Projects Pause The Research Blogs are now publicly accessible! These insightful journals authored by the youth and students from around the world address important topics related to cognitive decline, neuroscience, and neurodegenerative diseases. To contribute meaningfully to ForgetMeNotIntl, join us today and share your own blog to aid us in our mission of spreading awareness! View Blogs Create a post! People reached 200+ Elderly Served 300+ Youth Involved 16 Events 20,600+ Meet the Founders Chief Executive Director Lauren Ng Development Director Proksha Kandula Public Relations Director Abigail Ho Finance Director Taylor Yeh of our first facilities in care In the early days of developing our organization, we were fortunate to be welcomed into the warm environments fostered by nearby assisted living facilities. They became the roots of our foundation, allowing us to provide support to their residents while spreading our mission. Chapters Syosset HQ (est. 2023) New Jersey (est. 2024) Herricks, NY (est. 2025) Plainview, NY (est. 2025) Join Us Today! For any quick inquires, send us a quick message here : First Name Last Name Message Thanks for submitting! Send "For the Elderly, by the Youth." Interested in joining? Or just have additional questions? Contact us through : penpalcompanionship@forgetmenotintl.org @ForgetMeNotIntl @ForgetMeNotIntl Headquarters established in Syosset, New York

Preventing cognitive decline through art, music, and conversational therapy. ForgetMeNotIntl is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preventing cognitive decline among the elderly population. Through art, music, and conversation therapy, we aim to enable the senior citizens to showcase their artistic abilities and find joy in pastimes. Our built-in pen pal companionship program collects cards made by youth members (elementary and middle school students) to foster intergenerational relationships. Our mission is to provide a nurturing and engaging environment for our elderly members within Long Island, and eventually, on a global scale! Our Services Art Art therapy utilizes creative expression to enhance cognitive function and emotional health, helping the elderly reconnect with their memories and feelings. Conversation Conversation therapy encourages meaningful dialogue, promoting social engagement and cognitive stimulation to combat isolation and cognitive decline. Music Music therapy harnesses the power to evoke memories, improve mood, and stimulate cognitive processes, fostering a sense of joy and connection! To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Our pen pal program, established in 2024, aims to inspire young members to create cards to exchange with elderly individuals. Our built-in program facilitates the delivery of these cards, aiding in the fostering of intergenerational bonds.

Aid Us In ForgetMeNotIntl's Mission & Get Volunteer Hours! COMING SOON... Join Us in Our Mission and make a DIFFERENCE. in-person Join us in our visits to senior living facilities, help make cards & support fundraisers! VIRTUAL Not located near our headquarters in Long Island, NY but want to help? We're seeking individuals eager to help advance our research, join calls with leaders in the Alzheimer's field & raise awareness! BE IN THE KNOW. First Name Last Name Email Which experience are you interested in? * Virtual In-person Submit! Thanks for submitting and Check Your Email!