Research Projects
Using brain scans to investigate changes in the brain over time
Awarded to:
Prof Jonathan Schott and Prof Nick Fox
Current award:
£1,216,062.00
Institution:
University College London
Dates:
1 July 2018 - 31 July 2023
Full project name:
Determining the causes and consequences of brain amyloidosis, atrophy and cerebrovascular disease: a longitudinal amyloid-PET/MRI study of the MRC British 1946 birth cohort
Diagnosis
Treatments
Understand
Risks
Symptoms
Prof Nick Fox and Prof Jon Schott are studying brain scans to investigate changes in the brain over time in a longitudinal amyloid-PET/MRI study of the 1946 birth cohort.
The MRC National Survey of Health and Development initially tracked 5,362 people since their birth in 1946, and 2,800 remain under active follow-up, contributing to almost seven decades of pioneering research.
This incredible group of people have had regular assessments as birthdays have come and gone, to help researchers at the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL understand more about the impact of life on health.
Now they’re approaching 70, they’re giving back a unique gift to research by agreeing to take part in a brain imaging study to reveal important insights into dementia.
Watch this video to learn more about the MRC National Survey of Health and Development and how it has evolved to offer valuable insight into how we age.
Why is this important?
A landmark study that has been following a group of people since their birth in the same week in March 1946 is now turning its focus to the risk factors and early signs of dementia.
The study has the potential to reveal important insight into the diseases that cause dementia, shed more light on lifetime risk factors, and influence many areas of dementia research.
By characterising how and when diseases like Alzheimer’s start to develop in the brain, the team can better understand the molecular processes driving dementia and help to define a critical window for future clinical trials to have the best chance of success.
What will they do?
The study aims to gain important insights into early brain changes in diseases like Alzheimer’s, compared to normal ageing.
The volunteers have begun to have their first brain scans as part of the study and will also provide blood, urine and DNA samples.
The team is using the latest PET scanning techniques to look for signs of the hallmark Alzheimer’s protein, amyloid, in the brain, as well as studying MRI scans to see structural and functional changes in the brain.
They will examine how these brain images relate to the volunteers’ performance on memory and thinking assessments.
This research team will also look for markers in blood and urine that could provide early indicators of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
What next?
The team hopes to expand their work to map the genetics of individuals as well as continuing to monitor them for many years to build a complete picture of their health and brain function in later life.
Would you spend your 70th birthday in a brain scanner?
Visit our blog to read about Insight 46.
