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Research supported
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Strong research environments
- When memory fails
When memory fails
When Professor Lars-Göran Nilsson started the Betula Project at Umeå University 17 years ago, the aim was to study changes in memory and health associated with human ageing. This is still one purpose of the project, which is now being conducted at the Universities of Umeå, Stockholm, Uppsala and Antwerp, and at Karolinska Institutet. Another objective of the research is to detect early signs of dementia.
‘ Today, when dementia is diagnosed, the brain has already deteriorated so far that there is no longer any cure. Our idea is to identify these people so early that the neuron destruction is less extensive and the medication can be more efficacious.´
Lars-Göran Nilsson, who is currently engaged in research at Stockholm University, thinks individuals and society alike stand to benefit greatly from early diagnosis.
‘ Just think what a heavy load it´ll be on the healthcare systems of Sweden and all other countries when all the baby-boomers reach the age of dementia onset!
Various tools
To spot early signs of dementia, researchers use memory tests, genetic data and brain scans. These three tools complement one another and help researchers identify people at high risk for dementia.
The Betula Project started 17 years ago, with the first health and memory testing. Researchers are now in their fifth round of data collection, in which they are surveying subjects´ memory and health by means of various tests.
‘ This way, we'll be able to make comparisons over a long period,´ says Lars Göran Nilsson.
Another of the researchers´ tools is genetics. One objective of the research is to identify candidate genes both for natural ageing and for dementias.
‘ There are probably a group of genes that act in concert with other biological and environmental factors.´
Another part of the research is scanning the brains of selected subjects.
‘ We´re going to compare 30 people with falling scores in memory tests with 30 whose performance hasn´t deteriorated over a ten-year period.´
Another objective of the research is to find out what the requirements of healthy ageing are. What does it take to remain healthy and active, physically and mentally, throughout life?
Story: Peter Tillhammar
Photograph on first page (brain tissue affected by Alzheimer´s disease):
Science Photo Library/IBL Picture Library
Photograph on the article page (Lars-Göran Nilsson): ORASIS Foto
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