Dementia

Overview

Our research aim is to understand in detail the biology & expression of neurodegenerative disease decades before symptoms of dementia appear. This includes very comprehensive assessment through neuroimaging, blood & CSF tests of this biology & detailed cognitive testing as well as early neuropsychiatric features such as sleep disturbance.

We also assess fixed & modifiable risks to determine what factors mediate dais onset & progression.

Edinburgh is a hub/centre in the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK-DRI) with a programme found on vascular dementia and is leading a large UK-wide study about vascular dementia (R4VaD).  Projects led from Edinburgh (EPAD& PREVENT Dementia, LBC1936, Mild Stroke Study 3, R4VaD) also assess people longitudinally allowing us to model not only cross-sectional associations but also longitudinal trajectories. We now work on projects that try to improve detection of early markers of dementia from the appearance of the back of the eye.

Ultimately we aim to create disease & clinical models that can be applied at both a personal & population level to impact on the course of neurodegenerative disease & therein prevent dementia.

Lead dementia researcher 

• Prof Joanna Wardlaw 

If you would like to discuss undertaking dementia research & collaborating with us, please contact our business manager, who will arrange a meeting with our dementia research lead.

Research staff with a dementia focus

• Dr Lucia Ballerini
• Dr Mark Bastin
• Dr David R Gonzalez
• Dr Maria Valdés Hernández
• Dr Dominic Job
• Prof Ian Marshall
• Dr Susana Munoz-Maniega
• Dr Carol Di Perri
• Prof Craig Ritchie
• Dr Susan Shenkin
• Dr Michael Thrippleton
• Prof Adam Waldman
• Dr Stewart Wiseman

Funding organisations & groups

Organisations are listed alphabetically:

• Age UK
• Alzheimer’s Society
• British Heat Foundation
• EPSRC
• Innovative Medicines Initiative (EU IMI)
• Janssen
• Medical Research Council (MRC)
• Stroke Association