University of Glasgow

Academic Institute

Donald Lyall - Chief Investigator - University of GlasgowDonald Lyall - Corresponding Applicant - University of GlasgowBhautesh Jani - Collaborator - University of GlasgowClaire Hastie - Collaborator - University of GlasgowDaniel Mackay - Collaborator - University of GlasgowFrederick Ho - Collaborator - University of GlasgowJill Pell - Collaborator - University of GlasgowJim Lewsey - Collaborator - University of GlasgowKathryn Richardson - Collaborator - University of East AngliaNaveed Sattar - Collaborator - University of GlasgowTerence Quinn - Collaborator - University of Glasgow

CPRD875

Dementia impacts adversely on the quality of life of affected individuals and their families. On average, people worry more about cognitive decline and dementia than any other condition as they age. There is currently no reliable restorative medical treatment for cognitive impairment, which means there is substantial interest in finding preventive and tractable solutions to lower risk of dementia, and delay age of onset.

Dementia is a public health priority. It is a condition with no current ameliorative treatments and the focus is therefore prevention and delaying onset. Cardiometabolic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, as well as cardiac conditions such as heart failure and atrial fibrillation, are generally known independent risk factors. This is probably due to a variety of mechanisms including but not limited to atherosclerosis limiting blood flow to the brain; increased promotion/decreased clearance of characteristic Alzheimer’s disease amyloid beta plaques; increased neuroinflammation and ‘leakage’ of the blood-brain barrier (i.e. microhaemorrhages). There is also likely some confounding where shared risk factors underlie both physical and cognitive health.

28/01/2021

Release