Yesterday, we read with empathic frustration the observation on dementia research progress at the end of The Times’ comment on research into hearing aids (Delaying Dementia, 16 July). It reads: “More research into such treatments is desperately needed, particularly given the failure of biomedical research to make progress despite many billions of investment towards finding […]
Alzheimer’s and the other diseases that cause dementia develop in the brain decades before symptoms start to show. This poses a huge challenge for dementia researchers working hard to make breakthroughs possible for people affected by the condition. So, why would a blood test for Alzheimer’s help? At the moment doctors can only diagnose Alzheimer’s […]
We’re disappointed that Biogen AND Eisai have stopped two phase III trials of Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab. But we’re encouraged by the growing number of new avenues being explored by researchers across the world. Their work has never been more important.
It can come as a surprise to know that having Down’s syndrome puts people at much higher risk of Alzheimer’s. In fact, the genetic rearrangement that causes Down’s syndrome is one of the greatest genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s. Sadly, everyone with Down’s syndrome will have developed the characteristic plaques and tangles of Alzheimer’s in […]
Our brains don’t exist in isolation, separate from the rest of the body, but are connected in a variety of ways. While dementia is caused by diseases of the brain, researchers are looking for answers in other parts of the body to understand how changes there could be impacting the brain. Here at the Alzheimer’s […]
When we think about future treatments for dementia our minds may immediately think of new drugs. From vaccines to antibiotics, aspirin to statins, drugs have had a revolutionary impact on our health and wellbeing. Developing new medicines is a major focus for the research you’re helping us to fund at Alzheimer’s Research UK and research […]
We often talk about brain health and dementia risk on this blog, and how it’s a complex mix of age, our genes and the lifestyles we lead. It’s also a highly active area of research, with scientists across the globe working to understand why some people develop dementia and others don’t. This week at the […]
In an announcement made today, Prime Minister Theresa May outlined a new focus on early diagnosis of disease under the Grand Challenge on Artificial Intelligence in the Industrial Strategy. The Prime Minister announced an aim to transform the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of a range of health conditions including dementia. In her speech, she […]
A couple of years ago, Alzheimer’s Research UK launched its first-ever awareness advertising campaign, with an arresting and urgent film designed to shake society by the lapels in how it thinks about dementia. This is a condition that is hamstrung by decades of sweeping under the carpet; seldom talked-about and frequently misunderstood. In recent years, we […]
A study of the US healthcare system released yesterday says the current structure is insufficient to quickly deliver future treatments for people living with dementia. Although the US and UK health systems are inherently different, this review of the American system is a reminder of the need within our own health system to prepare for […]
