Lifestyle changes could delay or prevent 40% of dementia cases
The number of older people continues to rise, especially in low and middle -income countries, as people live longer. However, while there are certainly more people living with dementia, there are in some countries, falling percentages of older people who have dementia, while there are rising percentages in others, suggesting that we can modify the risk of developing dementia.
Overall, there is growing evidence for many potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia. I will discuss our new life course model of risk in dementia and provide an up to date overview of the main potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia and the magnitude of their effect. I will discuss how risk varies in the lifecourse and what we should do now, as individuals and in policy. People who are most deprived need these changes the most and will derive the highest benefit.
Professor Gill Livingston, Division of Psychiatry, UCL.
Gill Livingston is Professor of psychiatry of older people in University College London, Division of Psychiatry, head of mental health care of older people’s research department, and consultant psychiatrist, Camden &Islington NHS Foundation Trust in the UK.
She leads the Lancet International Standing Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care, launched with the recent report published in July 2020.
Her research focusses on prevention and intervention for people with dementia and their carers. Her other research includes the START project which successfully reduced depression in carers in a randomised controlled trial, demonstrating clinical and cost effectiveness and long term effectiveness. She also researches interventions in care homes; non-pharmacological interventions for sleep in dementia; and dementia and equity and interventions in minority ethnic groups.
Attending lectures
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The lecture will be preceded by a short presentation from a CSAR PhD Award Winner.
From commercial nanoparticles to structured functional materials: An introduction to a versatile approach.
David Brossault, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge
David is a PhD candidate at the Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology department. His research explores the design and optimisation of silica based composite materials doped with metal oxides for use in both environmental (e.g. water treatment) and biological (e.g. imaging and drug delivery) applications. Before his PhD, David obtained his BSc in Chemistry (2013) and a dual MSc in General and Formulation Chemistry (2017). He has developed research skills, adaptability and scientific interest through 2 years working in various industrial R&D departments, including Sanofi (United-Kingdom), Capsugel (France), BASF (Germany) and UCB Pharma (Belgium).
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