Research news

Find out about research study findings and developments

Navigating social media use for people living with dementia

31 January 2024

With social media platforms offering an easy way of finding out what is happening locally, it is easy to see the appeal for people living with dementia.  In order for these platforms to be even more effective, new research supported by Join Dementia Research highlights the need for social media guidance specifically for carers of […]

Research into the link between Alzheimer’s disease and Down’s syndrome

16 January 2024

People with Down’s syndrome have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This is because most people with Down’s syndrome will have clumps of amyloid and tau proteins in their brains by the age of 40 – these are believed to cause Alzheimer’s disease. Two thirds of people with Down’s syndrome develop Alzheimer’s by the […]

Promoting research for Dementia Action Week 2023

19 May 2023

Dementia Action Week took place from between 15 to 21 May this year and focused on getting an earlier diagnosis. Throughout the week, Join Dementia Research celebrated patients, members of the public, healthcare professionals and researchers involved in research. Here’s some of our highlights from this year’s campaign – a selection of videos and written […]

New Alzheimer’s drug slows cognitive decline by 35 per cent

4 May 2023

A clinical trial has revealed a new Alzheimer’s drug can successfully slow down decline in memory and thinking by 35 per cent. Donanemab has been shown to significantly reduce cognitive decline in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. The trial by US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly showed it has been successful in removing sticky amyloid plaques […]

Dementia lead welcomes appointment of new chairs to mission

21 March 2023

The Government has announced two leaders in dementia research will co-chair a national mission dedicated to tackling the condition. Hilary Evans and Nadeem Sarwar have been appointed to the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission, following an announcement by George Freeman, the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation at the World Dementia Council Summit this week. […]

Join Dementia Research volunteers help discover Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab

1 December 2022

The findings of a research study that discovered a treatment for early stage Alzheimer’s disease have been hailed as “momentous” by Alzheimer’s Research UK.  The new treatment, lecanemab, is the first drug to slow cognitive decline in people with early signs of the condition. The CLARITY-AD study enrolled 1,795 patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s globally, including Join […]

Dementia during COVID-19 – the lived experience perspective

10 November 2022

A Scottish study which recruited participants through Join Dementia Research has published their findings on the effects of the adapted dementia diagnosis and consultation processes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research has been co-produced by the University of Edinburgh and the Better Understanding Dementia Diagnosis (BUDDs) lived experience group, and funded by UK Research and […]

Lecanemab – a potential new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease

28 September 2022

News that a potential treatment for early stage Alzheimer’s disease can slow cognitive decline is a significant development in dementia research. About the drug Lecanemab is an antibody that is designed to remove toxic beta-amyloid deposits; proteins that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Following phase 3 clinical trials, pharmaceutical companies […]

Global Brain Health Survey Findings

9 June 2022

Although the causes of dementia are not yet known, we do know which lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise and smoking can affect brain health and the chances of developing dementia. Until now, there has been little insight into the perceptions of brain health around the world. In June 2019 an anonymous online survey ‘The […]

Breakthrough Alzheimer’s drug approved in the US

8 June 2021

MRI brain scan images

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has this week approved the first drug since 2003 to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Aducanumab, created by US pharmaceutical company Biogen, is an antibody designed to target amyloid, a protein that builds up in the brains of people with early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Whereas other existing treatments help […]