Our achievements

The Alzheimer's Research Trust has funded 290 research projects to make real progress towards ways to prevent, treat or cure dementia. Our main achievements so far include:

• Better understanding of the causes of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s Research Trust scientists discovered two new genes, named CLU and PICALM, related to Alzheimer’s: the first such breakthrough in over 15 years. It was the largest ever genetic study for Alzheimer’s, involving over 16,000 individuals. The findings were published in top journal Nature Genetics in 2009, and reported around the world.

Researchers in Southampton followed up the Elan AN1792 vaccine trial – where Alzheimer’s patients were vaccinated against amyloid – the toxic protein that builds up in the brain during the disease. The trial was not successful, but the follow-up revealed that amyloid was in fact cleared from the brain. These hugely important findings are helping to shape how researchers think about amyloid and its role in Alzheimer’s. Read the full scientific findings in the Lancet journal.

• Improving diagnosis

Being able to diagnose Alzheimer’s and other dementias at the earliest stages is vital, as this is when future treatments are likely to be most effective.

One of our researchers in Edinburgh has shown that a reading test can help doctors to diagnose Alzheimer's. Researchers in Cambridge have developed a new test that is being piloted to see if it can diagnose Alzheimer’s, the TYM test. We have also funded work that is being used to develop a blood test to diagnose Alzheimer’s. Read more about the research and the full scientific paper.

• Treatments for Alzheimer’s

Researchers we funded at King’s College London revealed that anti-psychotic medication, commonly prescribed to people with dementia, can worsen dementia symptoms and double the risk of death when used long term. Their important findings were reported in medical journals Lancet Neurology, BMJ and PLoS Medicine. They contributed to the government’s report on the use of anti-psychotics which was published in November 2009 and pledged to cut their use by two thirds.

• Better understanding of how we might prevent dementia

University of Oxford scientists, funded by the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, found that Vitamin B12, a nutrient found in meat, fish and milk, may protect against brain shrinkage in older people. The results were published in the journal Neurology. The team are now examining whether B vitamins can also protect against dementia.

In 2009 Alzheimer’s Research Trust scientists found that keeping the brain active by working later in life reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease at a younger age.

• Building  capacity for dementia research

So far we have funded 25 PhD students and 26 fellowships - supporting the best dementia scientists in the early stages of their career. We have just launched four new types of fellowship funding schemes.

Alzheimer’s Research Trust Network. We fund 15 centres of dementia research excellence across the UK. The funds are used to help scientists collaborate, share findings and resources and accelerate dementia research.

Jointly with Alzheimer’s Society we are funding Brains for Dementia Research – a network of brain banks across the country. Brain tissue from people with and without dementia is vital to research that is developing new treatments for dementia.

We have given 28 grants for equipment so far. The grants provide vital scientific equipment to speed up dementia research progress – from microscopes to brain scanners.