On Friday, March 4, the fifth annual Plymouth Dementia Conference will be held at the Guildhall in Plymouth, England. The event will reveal the progress in the fight against dementia made by a large number of researchers and doctors, including the progress and investigation of a project in Devon.
The conference is expected to include important speeches from Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, and Hilary Duxford, a member of the World Council for Dementia; and other insight on the progressive research, analysis and development that has been done thus far.
"But if the last five years has shown nothing else, by chipping away at the problem in the laboratory, the clinic and society, we are in a better position than we have been in the past, notwithstanding there is still an awful lot more to do," Alzheimer's Society board member Ian Sherriff said.
Plymouth University is the lead institution for the Alzheimer's Research U.K. Research Network. The university is focusing directly on three main areas in which scientists and researchers are working hard to try and understand the way dementia works. This is essential so that new drugs can be found or repurposed to slow down or stop the disease all together.
The current research that is being done includes numerous studies. One study, lead by Dr. Oleg Anichtchik, is investigating the role proteins have in the development of dementia. This study specifically relates to a condition of dementia called dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Anichtckik and his research team will investigate how the integration between two specific proteins play a role in slowing or preventing the buildup of a protein known as alpha-synuclein.
Dr. Rupert Noad, from Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, and Dr. Craig Newman, from Plymouth University, also have been working hard to aid patients with dementia. Both doctors are working together to develop an app that will help other physicians diagnose patients more accurately. The ACE mobile app is used globally, but Noad and Newman are currently developing a component of this app, known as Mini ACE. This app will be accessible by GPS device as well to help loved ones, guardians and rescue services know where the patient is located as well as gives them a peice of mind that they are safe and sound.
"The more people who are assessed, the more early diagnoses can be achieved with proper care and treatment leading to better quality of life," Sheriff said.
The committee will also further elaborate on the Farming, Dementia and Networks of Care project, which focuses directly on the relationship between farming communities and dementia.
The study begun in Devon where a team of professionals researched "how farmers, their families and carers cope when affected by dementia." Within this study, researchers considered the impact dementia has on the farming lifestyle and business.
Further details regarding this project will be revealed at the conference.
"While we are proud of what we have achieved so far, we are all aware that there is more to do - support from the highest levels and the continued efforts of innovators in the lab, in clinic and in society will, I am sure, help us to tack this pernicious disease," Sherriff said.
