Scientists win funds boost into dementia research

A TEAM of Scottish scientists has received a cash boost to fund research into the causes of dementia.

The group, at Aberdeen University, has secured £15,000 of funding from Alzheimer’s Research UK to delve deeper into the causes of Alzheimer’s disease and highlight new targets for treatments.

Dementia, which affects nearly 70,000 people in Scotland alone, is a condition associated with memory loss, behavioural changes, communication difficulties and with problems carrying out day-today tasks.

Current treatments only go as far as boosting nerve cell communication and alleviating some symptoms, and their are at present no drugs capable of halting nerve cell damage.

The money will fund a study exploring what may be behind the death of nerve cells among those suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Dr David Koss, a Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen, said: “We needed this funding boost to add some more pieces to the complex puzzle of Alzheimer’s disease.

“I’ll use gener ou s ly donated brain tissue to learn more about how nerve cells die in Alzheimer’s, the biological step that underpins the symptoms people experience.

“We know there are drugs in development targeting these key processes in other diseases such as cancer and diabetes, so it is important we highlight new approaches where existing drugs could be used to tackle dementia.”

Dr Emma O’Brien from Alzheimer’s Research UK, added: “Alzheimer’s Research UK is committed to funding pioneering research that sheds new light on the causes of disease like Alzheimer’s, so that we can develop treatments to halt the devastating spread of damage through the brain.”