Research has the power to transform the lives of everyone affected by dementia – but it will take all of us to make breakthroughs possible.
Anyone who has witnessed the devastation of dementia understands the urgent need for life-changing treatments.
Unless we act now, one in three people born today will develop dementia in their lifetime.
But dementia research is making incredible progress.
And this World Alzheimer’s Month, we need your help to get new treatments over the finish line.
No action is too small to make breakthroughs possible!
Take part in research
If you have dementia or not, please register with Join Dementia Research to take part in studies that are right for you.
Take on a new challenge this World Alzheimer’s Month
Swim, run, cycle and plenty more! Help us make breakthroughs possible for people with dementia by taking on a sporting challenge.
Donate to make breakthroughs possible
Research is our greatest hope for making dementia a thing of the past. Your donation can help make breakthroughs possible.
Learn more about the diseases that cause dementia
Watch the real-life stories of people with four very different forms of dementia and researchers working toward a cure.
Gift in your Will
Gifts in Wills make one in three of our ground-breaking research projects possible. Learn more about these amazing gifts.
Share your story
Dementia devastates the lives of everyone it touches. Share your story of how dementia has affected you, and help inspire more people to take action.
Read about our research projects
We have recently funded eight new research projects that will improve our understanding of the diseases that cause dementia, like Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia, inform future risk reduction approaches and reveal potential targets for treatments that could change people’s lives.
Find out more about our projects below.
Understanding brain circuits underpinning hallucinations in dementia with Lewy bodies
Researchers at the University College London aim to understand the mechanisms underpinning visual hallucinations in both dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s disease
Looking at the blood brain barrier to help identify new treatments for dementia
Researchers in Newcastle are developing a new technique to screen for new drug targets to treat Alzheimer’s disease
Finding ways to boost resilience to Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers from the University of Oxford will investigate how and why some people are ‘resilient’ to developing dementia to find new treatment targets.
Understanding the links between obesity in parents and children’s future dementia risk
Researchers are unpicking the links between obesity in parents and the effect to their children’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s later in life
Investigating how mutations affect brain inflammation in frontotemporal dementia
Researchers at King’s College London are unpicking how mutations in specific proteins affect brain inflammation in frontotemporal dementia.
Investigating how our brain cells speak in frontotemporal dementia
Researchers are looking at common pathways that affect our brain cells in frontotemporal dementia and motor neurone disease to find new drug targets
Is a type of fat responsible for damage in the brain in dementia with Lewy bodies?
Dr Daniel Erskine from Newcastle University is investigating the role of a type of fat, called sphingolipids, in dementia with Lewy bodies.
Can boosting chemical messaging in the brain help people with early-stage dementia with Lewy bodies?
Researchers at Newcastle University will study how a drug affects people in early stages of dementia with Lewy bodies.
Understanding the role of metal particles in Alzheimer’s and their potential for diagnosis and treatment
Researchers at Keele University will develop ways to ‘see’ iron in the brain and explore how metals could be used as treatment targets and indicators of Alzheimer’s disease.
Understanding the link between sport and dementia risk
This project will review the current evidence around the benefits and risks of sport and, through collaboration with stakeholders in research, clinicians, and sporting bodies, define future research priorities in this space.
What happens when the barrier between blood vessels and brain cells breakdowns in Alzheimer’s disease?
Researchers are investigating whether the changes in cell metabolism at the barrier between blood vessels and brain cells contributes to brain degeneration.
Understanding the link between wellbeing and brain function in dementia
Researchers will analyse data from large-scale studies and databases to understand the link between wellbeing and brain function decline in dementia.
Are risk factors for heart disease linked to brain health?
Researchers will analyse data from large studies to explore whether risk factors for heart disease in early life will impact brain health.
The role of sleep in people with Down’s syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers are using powerful brain scanning techniques to investigate how sleep affects brain changes in people with Down’s syndrome (DS).
Unravelling how inflammation may worsen the diseases that cause dementia
Researchers from the University of Cambridge will look at how enzymes and immune cells in the brain interact with the tau protein to cause disease
Studying astrocytes to understand links between cholesterol and Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers at the University of Oxford are using human brain cells to see if cholesterol produced by these cells affects amyloid build up in Alzheimer’s disease
Exploring biological pathways that could protect the brain in Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers at University College London are using stem cells to create a new experimental model to understand how our brain changes in Alzheimer’s disease
Developing a technique to unpick the complexities of Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers at University College London are using stem cells to create a new experimental model to understand how our brain changes in Alzheimer’s disease
Toxic repeats in frontotemporal dementia
How do toxic repeat proteins affect nerve cells in frontotemporal dementia
Using Killifish to study Alzheimer’s disease in the lab
Researchers at the University of Bath are investigating if Killifish could be used as a model for Alzheimer’s disease
How are our partners taking action?
Our partners are offering all kinds of awareness and fundraising activities this month, why not get involved?
- Visit your local Iceland Foods store to find our Think Brain Health tips in the fresh produce aisle.
- If you’re in need of an underwear upgrade, keep your eyes peeled for Oddballs’ limited-edition range in aid of dementia research.
- Or sign up to Redbrain’s seven hours in seven days sporting challenge and they’ll donate £10,000 to Alzheimer’s Research UK.
