Dementia Research UpdateCornwall Research Showcase

Thursday 22nd October 2015

Dr Stephen PearsonConsultant in Older Adult Psychiatry

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Dementia Speciality Lead,NIHR Clinical Research Network:

South West Peninsula

NHS Constitution 08/03/12

• Page 3:• and through its commitment to innovation

and to the promotion, conduct and use of research to improve the current and future health and care of the population.

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• The Clinical Research Network: delivering research to make patients, and the NHS, better

• We provide the infrastructure that allows high-quality clinical research to take place in the NHS, so that patients can benefit from new and better treatments. We help researchers to set up clinical studies quickly and effectively; support the life-sciences industry to deliver their research programmes; provide health professionals with research training; and work with patients to ensure their needs are at the very centre of all research activity

14th August 2015

60% rise in people taking part in dementia research

During the past 12 months almost 22,000 people have taken part in research studies to tackle dementia – a 60 per cent rise according to figures published today by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

Government Minister for Life Sciences, George Freeman

• “Dementia is a devastating condition that can have a significant impact on the lives of those affected and their families. Volunteers are essential to our battle against the disease and I’m delighted that so many people – with and without dementia – are coming forward to participate in ground-breaking new trials. There is still a long way to go but with their help we hope to find a cure or disease modifying therapy by 2025. The race is on.”

Dementia is not

• A little bit of forgetfulness• Normal ageing

Dementia is‘The most feared illness in those older than 50 years’

Research Is Hope in Dementia

UK population: by gender and age, mid-2009 - 61.8 million

Prevalence of Dementia in 2013 by CCG 0.74% in Cornwall

Prevalence of Dementia in GP Practices in the South West Peninsula Region

What is to be done?

Individual-Brain Health

• Modifiable risk factors - vascular• Exercise• Weight• On your bike• Mediterranean type diet• Mental exercise• Chess/Sudoku/Bridge• APOE status?

Disease Modifying Drugs

• Any treatment delaying the onset of AD by 5 years could half its prevalence

CURRENT DRUGS• Donepezil• Galanthamine• Rivastigmine• (Memantine)

• Not disease modifying - can help with symptoms ( does not improve memory)

• ‘May buy a little time’• Side effects nausea and abdo upset• C/I Asthma, Peptic ulcer, Heart Disease

Research trials

• Observational• Therapy intervention – physiotherapy,

occupational therapy, cognitive stimulation therapy

• Drug Intervention• Disease modifying and symptomatic trials• Phase II and Phase III drug intervention trials

Dr Stephen Pearson, FRCPsychConsultant in Older Adult Psychiatry

 C/O Devon Partnership NHS Trust

The QuayPlymouth Road

TAVISTOCKPL19 8AB

stephen.pearson@nhs.net