Dementia Researcher - Diagnosing Dementia - Now and in the Future

Diagnosing Dementia - Now and in the Future

06/21/21 • 44 min

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Whilst everyone may experience dementia and its symptoms differently, the pathway to diagnosis is very similar for most people, but could all that be about to change? This week Adam Smith, speaks to a Psychiatrist, a Neurologist and a Scientist. They discuss the current diagnosis pathway, the tests involved, and how that could change as with the development of blood based biomarkers. Exploring the science behind the new tests, their development, and how these new tests could be used in frontline services to improve accuracy, support clinical trials and to improve care – and is the NHS ready? This week’s guests are: Dr Elizabeth Coulthard, Consultant Neurologist and Associate Professor at University of Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust. Dr Josie Jenkinson, Consultant Psychiatrist for Older People and Clinical Academic at Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust. Dr Amanda Heslegrave, Senior Research Fellow focussed on Biomarkers in Neurodegeneration at the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London. Emerging blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer disease are an exciting new development. They could provide an accessible, easy to delivery and inexpensive screening tool. Looking to the future, when disease-modifying or prevention treatments will be available, investigators are focused on how to detect the earliest biological signals of Alzheimer disease, perhaps even years or decades before clinical symptoms appear – and that’s when these tests could really become essential. However, how could they be used now? Could they improve accuracy of diagnosis? Replace the need for other more expensive tests? Ensure we no longer have to send people home, telling them they have Mild Cognitive Impairment? Reduce misdiagnosis? Patients and their families want to know, Is this Alzheimer disease, or something that can be reversed? Can we answer that question now? And Could this new biomarker help? All will be discussed in this weeks show. _________________________ You can find out more about our panellists, and their work on our website: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk A transcript of this podcast is also available here https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-diagnosing-dementia-now-and-in-the-future _________________________ This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Research UK and Alzheimer's Society, who we thank for their ongoing support.

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Social Isolation and Loneliness - ISTAART Research Perspectives

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This week is #LonelinessAwarenessWeek – to raise awareness of the challenges of social isolation, and how this can lead to loneliness, and the connection to Dementia, we worked with The Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART), and the Global Brain Health Institute (GHBI) to record this special podcast. The impacts of SI/L (social isolation/loneliness) on the health and longevity of older adults is substantial. Researchers have found that social isolation or loneliness in older adults is associated with a 50% increased risk of developing dementia. With 5-25% of people over the age of 65% saying they experience SI/L, prior to the pandemic, it is now surprise that the situation has only worsened in the last 18 months. Journalist, Writer and GHBI Fellow, Fernando Aguzzoli Peres discovers different perspectives of the challenges that come from SI/L, and the Research that is working to understand the issue and help. To get a first-hand of the difficulties and how one person is overcoming them, Fernando talks with Laureen Waters, Alzheimer’s Association National Early Stage Advisory Board Member who is herself living with a diagnosis of Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease, living in Clover, South Carolina. To understand more about the research, how SI/L affects people and the impact we hear from Brian Lawlor, who is a Professor of Old Age Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, and Deputy Executive Director of the GBHI. Brian is a psychiatrist with an interest in dementia, late-life depression, loneliness and brain health. Brian has worked for over 30 years on developing services and delivering care to people with dementia. His research interests range from early detection and prevention to evaluating new treatments for dementia. You can find out more about our panellists, and their work on our website: www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk For more information on this sensitive and important issue visit: In the USA - https://bit.ly/2RNF7Ny In the UK - https://bit.ly/35cCvf6 #LoneLinessAwarenessWeek - https://bit.ly/35duvKM For information on ISTAART Visit - http://www.alz.org/istaart _________________________ This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Research UK and Alzheimer's Society, who we thank for their ongoing support.