$6m funding for dementia research

Professor Gerard Byrne is part of a major new collaborative study into the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.

Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) researchers will lead a major new collaborative study into the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.

Professor Gerard Byrne, from RBWH and the University of Queensland (UQ), and Professor Michael Breakspear, from RBWH and QIMR Berghofer, will work with eight other researchers on the innovative project, which has been awarded $6.4 million in funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

The study – Prospective Imaging Study of Ageing: Genes, Brain and Behaviour – is one of six Dementia Research Team Grants awarded this year as part of a Federal Government initiative to support the search for new treatments, models of care and ways of preventing the debilitating disease.

Professor Byrne, who is Director of Geriatric Psychiatry at RBWH Mental Health, said Alzheimer’s disease is already a major health and economic issue for Australia.

“Alzheimer’s Australia estimates there are more than 342,000 Australians living with dementia and that number will increase massively as our population continues to age,” Professor Byrne said.

“They estimate the total direct health and aged care system expenditure on people with dementia was at least $4.9 billion in 2009-10.

“Our research team will use genetic risk prediction, cutting-edge bio-informatics and the latest imaging technology at HIRF (Herston Imaging Research Facility) to try to uncover the origins of dementia and neurodegenerative disease earlier in life.

“If we can prospectively identify those people at high risk for dementia, we can offer enrolment in clinical trials of targeted treatments before their symptoms become evident.

“Even if we can’t stop people developing dementia, we could slow the onset of the disease and reduce its burden on individuals and society.”

This study is collaboration between researchers from RBWH, QIMR Berghofer, UQ, the University of Western Australia, CSIRO and the University of California San Francisco. The chief investigative team comprises Prof. Michael Breakspear (CIA), Prof. Nicholas Martin, Prof. Gerard Byrne, A/Prof. Stephen Rose, Dr Christine Cong Guo, A/Prof Olivier Salvado, Prof. Osvaldo Almeida, Dr Gail Robinson, Prof. Michael Weiner and Prof. Nancy Pachana.