Join Dementia Research News

The NIHR Clinical Research Network has launched a new online course called ‘What is Health Research?’. The three week Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC, is aimed at anyone with a keen interest in learning more about the world of health research. Learners can complete the course at their own pace for free, starting on Monday 11 November 2019.

A recent study has found that the risk of dying from neurodegenerative disease is almost 3.5 times higher for footballers. However research is at an early stage and there’s currently no suggestion that anyone should stop playing football. Regular physical activity – including football – is a good way to reduce the risk of dementia and conditions such as heart disease.

US pharmaceutical company Biogen has announced that they plan to ask US drug regulators to approve their experimental Alzheimer’s drug, aducanumab. Aducanumab is designed to target amyloid, a protein that builds up in the brains of people with the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The announcement follows Phase III clinical trials called ENGAGE and EMERGE. New analysis of trial data has produced promising results – those who received high doses of aducanumab showed significant slowing in the decline of their cognitive ability.

PREDICT-PD is a ground-breaking project using simple tests to identify people at higher risk of Parkinson’s disease before the symptoms appear.

We are excited to share that Join Dementia Research has been selected as a #MadeAtUCL Top 100 Innovation. #MadeAtUCL is a new campaign which aims to bring to life University College London’s (UCL) impact on people, lives and communities, mainly through ground-breaking research and discoveries. We would be very grateful for your vote – this will help continue to raise the profile of dementia and research, and help more people to take part.

In a new study, researchers designed a bathing cap-style head device, called the MemorEM, which was used to deliver electromagnetic waves to the brain. The purpose of this was to try to dissolve what are known as oligomers – groups of abnormal proteins – as they were forming. There was some sign of improvements on tests of thinking and memory in most of the people taking part in the study. This is an experimental, early-stage study that looked primarily at safety, so it cannot tell us for sure if the treatment works.

Alzheimer’s Research UK have launched a new nationwide survey to help shape future treatments for dementia. The online survey needs everyone’s views on the aspects of daily life that are most important, and which you would most like to protect if you were to develop a disease that causes dementia. Take part today.

The ‘Gotcha!’ study is trialling a fun computer-based therapy to help people with dementia remember the names of the people who are important to them.

We’re pleased to announce that over 20,000 study participants have been involved in vital research thanks to Join Dementia Research. We would like to sincerely thank all the volunteers, researchers, champions and partners who have given their time so far. If you haven’t already, please sign up, and if you have, please help us spread the word so we can bring more volunteers and researchers together.

Research supported by University College London is investigating how people living with dementia talk about their diagnosis to others. As part of this study, the team are inviting people with a primary diagnosis of dementia to share their experiences of stigma, by taking part in a questionnaire.