Those with dementia or experiencing early memory problems are needed for new drug studies say scientists
Volunteers are urgently needed to take part in dementia drug trials in Scotland.
Researchers are currently recruiting for a number of studies and those with the condition and those experiencing early memory problems are asked to register with the Join Dementia Research database.
Funded by the UK government’s department of health and delivered by the National Institute for Health Research in partnership with dementia charities including Alzheimer Scotland, the register maintains a log of trials and alerts people if suitable studies become available.
With 90,000 people in Scotland currently living with dementia, which there is no cure for, research into medicines that can potentially delay progression of the condition is much needed, scientists say.
Scotland urgently needs people with memory problems and early stage dementia to help test potential treatments
Jim Pearson, director of policy and research at Alzheimer Scotland, said due to the worldwide surge in trials, more people than ever before are needed.
“Research into treatments to delay the symptoms of dementia offers hope to many more of us that we can live well as we age,” he said.
“Volunteers to take part in clinical trials are the essential component in this research.
“Scotland urgently needs people with memory problems and early stage dementia to help test potential treatments.
“We would encourage people who are interested in the development of these early stage treatments and other types of research to register with Join Dementia Research.”
In the UK there are 19 drug studies investigating potential treatments.
Current studies looking for participants in Scotland include Engage which is looking at whether a new medication, Aducanumab, can slow progression of early Alzheimer’s disease and also whether it's safe to use in patients.
It is looking for volunteers aged 50-85 and those who are experiencing problems with memory or thinking.
Participation will involve one or two site visits each month and telephone interviews for up to four years. The study will include questionnaires and interviews, physical examinations, MRI and PET scans and other tests to monitor health.
Craig Ritchie, a professor of the psychiatry of ageing at the University of Edinburgh and chief investigator in the study, said: “Although we have some drugs that manage some of the symptoms of dementia, we have a long way to go in terms of modifying the course of the disease.
“However, only by conducting high quality research will we be able to get conclusive evidence and move treatments forward.
“To do this research we’re relying on people who are experiencing the very earliest stages of memory problems to come forward and offer to take part.”
Other studies recruiting through Join Dementia Research include the Amaranth study. It is testing whether a new drug can slow progression of Alzheimer’s disease by slowing the production of a protein known to build up in sufferers' brains. That study is looking for people aged 55-85 with early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
The Radar trial (Reducing pathology in Alzheimer’s Disease through Angiotensin taRgeting), is looking at whether losartan, a commonly-used treatment for high blood pressure, could also be effective at slowing progression of Alzheimer's disease. The study is looking for people over the age of 55, with and without hypertension or high blood pressure, but with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in England and Scotland.
Anyone interested in volunteering or signing a loved one up (with their permission) for dementia research should visit the Join Dementia Research website at joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk.
