Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness Kicking Alzheimer's Butt & Your Questions with Dr. Richard Isaacson
May 5, 2026
Dr. Richard Isaacson, a preventive neurologist who founded an Alzheimer’s prevention clinic, joins to discuss testing and prevention. He covers at‑home finger‑prick blood screens, timelines and costs for accessible biomarkers, practical prevention strategies, and why genes are not destiny. The conversation also tackles emotional realities, caregiving, and making prevention widely available.
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Personal Family Story That Sparked Action
- Penn recounts lifelong family exposure to dementia beginning at age 13 and later watching parents decline.
- That family history motivated him to join Isaacson's trial and pursue prevention rather than avoid testing.
Order A Home Screening Panel When It’s Ready
- Use at-home finger-prick panels when available to screen brain proteins and risk cheaply.
- Isaacson aims for a $99–$149 home kit within 12–18 months that screens a small panel and flags above/below average risk.
Budget For Current Comprehensive Testing Costs
- Expect full clinical-grade brain-risk workups to cost $1,000–$3,000 now depending on panels and services.
- $1k covers basic labs; $2k the full panels/genetics; $3k includes virtual care and mobile phlebotomy.