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Dementia research
29/08/2008
A new Dementia Research Network for Scotland is to be financed with more than £1 million of investment from the Scottish Government.
Bringing together Scotland's leading academics and clinicians, the Network aims to translate scientific discoveries into safe and effective treatments, focusing on patient centred clinical research.
Public Health Minister Shona Robison said:
"The Scottish Government has made tackling dementia a national priority in order to ensure more is done to improve support for those with dementia and importantly, for effective support to be offered at the earliest possible opportunity.
"The new Dementia Research Network has been set up to help do just that, combining the excellence of NHS clinical work with the first class facilities and knowledge of major academic centres available throughout Scotland."
Dementia affects at least 6 per cent of people over 65 in Scotland. The total number of people with dementia may increase by 75 per cent in the next 25 years. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form but dementia can complicate Parkinson's disease, stroke and other degenerative neurological diseases such as Huntington's and motor neuron disease.
Launching the Network, Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Dr Harry Burns said:
"Research is an integral part of the NHS in Scotland, and over the years we have seen many examples of pioneering research and fantastic results for patient care.
"The establishment of this new Network is no different: it will ensure we are working towards better treatment, diagnosis and care for those with dementia and offers the opportunity for all patients with dementia to participate in early studies of potential treatments."
Built around four research hubs in Glasgow, Grampian, Lothian and Tayside, the Network will also feature outreach to the rest of the country, ensuring easy access for patient participation in research studies. It will be chaired by Dr Peter Connelly, Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist from NHS Tayside. The Director will be Professor John Starr from NHS Lothian and University of Edinburgh.
Professor Sir John Savill, Scotland's Chief Scientist, said:
"In recent times there have been significant scientific advances in understanding the science of dementia. This work is now leading to promising leads for new treatments which have the potential to change the course of this devastating illness. This new investment will put Scotland at the forefront of this research."
Dr Peter Connelly, Chair of the Dementia Research Network, said:
"Scotland has an international reputation for pioneering scientific research. This new investment will, for the first time ever, bring a co-ordinated approach to dementia research in Scotland, the way we have seen with our existing Scottish clinical research networks for cancer, children's medicines, diabetes, stroke, mental health and primary care."
The new Network will also collaborate with similar dementia research networks across the UK, as part of the UK Clinical Research Network.
The Dementia Network will receive funding of £1,048,381 over three years, from August 1, 2008.
The Chief Scientist Office is the Division of the Scottish Government Health Directorates which supports and promotes high quality research aimed at improving the health of the people of Scotland and the quality and effectiveness of health services. With an annual budget of approximately £70 million, CSO supports the research infrastructure of NHS Scotland, provides response mode grants, research training awards and core funding for research units and networks. It also contributes to a wide range of UK-wide initiatives.
People in Scotland interested in participating in research on dementia could leave their contact details with Professor John Starr, the Academic Director of the Dementia Research Network. Royal Victoria Hospital, 0131 5375023
There have been many advances in the understanding of how Alzheimer's disease develops at a cellular level (Scottish scientists have published a number of recent papers describing advances in the understanding of how dementia develops) but as yet there is no cure and no way of preventing the disorder arising.
Scotland has an international reputation for research in the field of the other Clinical Research Networks i.e. diabetes, stroke, cancer etc. There is a large research network in England which coordinates and supports research in dementia. Similar networks have been set up in Northern Ireland and in Wales. There is also a European Network (The European Alzheimer's Disease Consortium). The Scottish Dementia Research Organisational Network (SCOTDRON) is an opportunity to combine the excellence of NHS clinical work with the first class facilities and knowledge of major academic centres throughout Scotland.
The SIGN Guideline for the Management of Patients with Dementia recommends a higher profile for clinical research. The focus of research conducted by the network will be the person with dementia and a key objective of the network is to improve patient care by contributing to the improvement of bes