Blog: The Brain Dialogues, filtered by tag: Dementia

HEIDI DOUGLASS | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au In 1945 when Australians were celebrating the end of the Second World War, a baby girl was born west of Sydney, in Granville. Her parents named her Jean.   65 years later and with three loving sons, seven grandchildren and more than 50 years of a strong and happy marriage to husband Len Nesbitt, Jean was diagnosed with vascular dementia – the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease.  On Friday, 11 September, just over 10 years since she was first diagnosed, Jean’s family said their loving goodbyes at a beautiful memorial held… Read More

Research Assistant Lauren King hopes that through CHeBA’s COGNISANCE Project we will achieve global impact on the quality of dementia care and available support services, particularly in those countries where dementia research and support remain quite limited.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? At university, I worked in a number of voluntary and paid research assistant roles on projects running in the experimental psychology department. I really enjoyed the systematic approach of research design and implementation whilst working on these projects.   Did you experience… Read More

Dr Rebecca Koncz’s research explores the pathophysiological mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease, particularly amyloid accumulation, as a hallmark feature of the disease. Utilising data collected from CHeBA’s Older Australian Twins Study, she is attempting to answer the classic “nature vs nurture” question – specifically, what proportion of amyloid burden is attributable to genes, and what proportion is determined by environmental, or modifiable, risk factors.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? I’ve always had an interest in the brain sciences, having completed a major in… Read More

CHeBA’s Maintain Your Brain trial aims to target and mitigate risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease using e-health interventions. It is the largest clinical trial of its kind. If the onset of these diseases can be postponed by at least two years, incidence would be reduced by 20% and these numbers increase rapidly as years of delay is extended. Research Assistant Tiffany Chau hopes Maintain Your Brain can help achieve reduced prevalence rates and enhance cognitive health in older age.   How did you first get into researching the ageing brain? I studied a Bachelor of… Read More

The context of healthcare has certainly shifted in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and there is now a huge demand for flexibility when it comes to accessing practitioners and treatment. Dr Adam Bentvelzen is pioneering the way for alternative avenues of accessibility to healthcare services, particularly phone-based cognitive screening. He has been investigating this as a means of assessing patients with possible dementia who are geographically isolated or physically limited. This method has been successfully implemented for over ten years with participants in CHeBA’s Sydney Memory and Ageing… Read More

When we consider frontline health care, we often forget the role that research plays in guiding the practice and tools available to clinicians and carers. CHeBA’s researchers are on the cusp of the latest findings regarding healthy brain ageing, with long-term impact as a primary motivator. Dr Nady Braidy shares his drive to create longstanding impact by translating research into practice.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? I started with a Bachelor of Medical Science. My aim was to get into medicine. I was majoring in Pharmacology and Physiology, and my first project… Read More

Providing individuals and policymakers with valid information regarding the impact social relationships have on successful ageing is the ultimate hope Dr Anne-Nicole Casey has for her research. There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that maintaining positive social relationships, particularly during challenging periods like the current global pandemic, can help to support cognitive and emotional well-being. According to Dr Casey it is our family and friends that sustain us; a sentiment that would resonate strongly with the community at this time and remains applicable despite physical… Read More

Dr Matt Paradise’s dual role as both clinician and researcher has developed his unique understanding of the dementia experience. More than ever, it is essential that practitioners have the best diagnostic tools and Dr Paradise intends to forge this reality.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? While undertaking my psychiatric training, I took on a term in old age psychiatry. I worked with an inspirational Professor of Old Age Psychiatry, Professor Gill Livingston, who became my mentor. Following the clinical term, I was lucky enough to have a full-time research job with… Read More

Zara Page, a fourth-year Neuroscience Honours student, has spent the year working with Dr Nicole Kochan and Dr Karen Croot alongside CHeBA's CogSCAN and Sydney Memory and Ageing Study teams to explore the culture-fairness of computerised neuropsychological testing for culturally and linguistically diverse older Australians. Despite Australia’s multicultural society, older culturally and linguistically diverse Australians have been overlooked in dementia research. Traditionally, pencil-and-paper tests are considered as the ‘gold standard’ tool to diagnose and monitor dementia. However,… Read More

This article was originally published in the Australian Financial Review on 21 September 2017 (World Alzheimer’s Day) It is no secret that Australia has a rapidly ageing population, with those aged above 65 set to make up over 20% of the population within 10 years’ time1. While this is good news for the property industry as development in the aged care and retirement living space is critical, a crucial factor that requires direct consideration across the industry is that currently around 52% of all permanent residents in care have a diagnosis of dementia2. Dementia is now the second leading… Read More