BBC film highlights dementia research
24 May 2016
A new BBC One film examining the science behind dementia, which was partly filmed at the Queen Square Brain Bank and the Leonard Wolfson Experimental Neurology Centre (LWENC), Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø Institute of Neurology, aired last week.
In the film Angela Rippon investigates Alzheimer's
disease. She meets people living with dementia, including some who know that
they have a very high chance of developing the disease, and investigates her
own risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Angela visits the Queen Square
Brain Bank where Professor Janice Holton demonstrates the shrinkage of the
brain typically seen in dementia and how this compares with the normal. Angela
learns the importance of microscopy in analysing the brain in Alzheimer's disease
to make a diagnosis and to increase our understanding of the disease.
Dr
Catherine Mummery, head of clinical trials at the Dementia Research Centre,
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø Institute of Neurology, explains the ground breaking clinical trial taking place at the National
Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery which aims to prevent the deposition of
amyloid beta in the brains of patients at risk of Alzheimer's disease due to
inheritance of a mutated gene.
If the trial is successful this could delay the
onset of the disease in affected people and potentially the treatment could
then be extended to sporadic Alzheimer's
disease.
Further information:
- on BBC iPlayer until 18th June 2016
- Queen Square Brain Bank
-
(LWENC)
Images (courtesy of BBC): Professor Holton and Angela Rippon; Dr Mummery, Angela Rippon and Sophie Leggett.