P4‐443: THE STATE OF THE ART OF DEMENTIA RESEARCH: NEW FRONTIERS

Abstract

Every three seconds, someone in the world develops dementia. Yet funding devoted to research remains scarce. Dementia lags behind other conditions in terms of original research; the global ratio of publications on neurodegenerative disorders, versus cancer, is an astonishing 1:12. Despite 60% of people with dementia living in low- and middle-income countries, many of these countries have no diagnostic tools, no access to clinical trials and few specialist doctors and researchers. The global societal cost is US$1 trillion and expected to double by 2030. Alzheimer Disease International (ADI) commissioned journalist Christina Patterson to interview 21 of the global leading lights in all areas of dementia research for its 2018 World Alzheimer Report. It tackles some of the complex questions surrounding dementia research and makes a call for increased funding and global collaboration. The report looks at a broad cross section of research areas including: basic science – the complex relationship of amyloid to tau; diagnosis – breakthroughs in techniques and the impact of stigma on diagnostic rates; drug discovery – since 1998 there have been more than 100 attempts to develop an effective drug, but only 4 have been approved; risk reduction – multi-domain interventions and initiating research at pre-symptomatic stages; and epidemiology – recognising the caring role of families and other unpaid care, and the costs of this. With the continued absence of a disease modifying treatment, the report also features progress, innovation and developments in care research. This includes building more trials that reflect the full range of the population, helping people to change their lifestyles to reduce risk, developing personalized approaches to medical treatments and care, and encouraging and promoting more and better collaboration globally. ADI is calling on governments to commit to a minimum of 1% of the societal cost of dementia to be dedicated to research. The US Alzheimer Association is leading the way and has made strides in getting more funding from the US government – but all governments need to pitch in. We need a global commitment for increased and sustainable funding to make the advancements necessary to tackle dementia in our lifetime.