Vascular dementia is the second most common type of dementia, affecting around 150,000 people in the UK. It can happen after a stroke, or more gradually if the small blood vessels in the brain work less well. This can affect the blood flow reducing the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain cells that they need to work properly. This causes brain cells in the affected areas to stop working properly and eventually to die. The symptoms can be gradual and include difficulty working out complicated problems, difficulty concentrating, and poor memory, which can fluctuate and gradually worsen over time.
While it’s possible to modify risk factors for vascular dementia, such as high blood pressure, there are no effective treatments so far that can halt or reverse its progression, and there is no cure. With the number of people living with vascular dementia in the UK set to more than double by 2050, reaching 350,000, the Centre will play a pivotal role in tackling this devastating condition head on.
The partnership builds on the UK DRI’s standing as the UK’s leading research institute dedicated to studying a range of neurodegenerative diseases, including vascular dementia. Scientists at the Institute are studying all areas of dementia, focusing on understanding the underlying causes of these diseases, including how vascular dysfunction leads to neurodegeneration. The partnership with the BHF will now turbo-charge vascular dementia research – an area that is currently underfunded.
Prof Siddharthan Chandran, UK DRI Director, said:
“We’re delighted to be partnering with the BHF to establish the UK’s first pan-national research centre devoted solely to advancing our understanding of vascular dementia. The condition accounts for between 15-30% of all cases of dementia, but it has not received nearly the same level of research attention and is vastly underfunded, with few clinical trials ongoing.
The UK DRI is already working at the forefront of dementia research, and this new partnership is a fantastic opportunity to consolidate and build upon our progress to uncover innovative new treatments, tools and diagnostics.
The new collaboration represents a major step forward in our efforts to address the knowledge gap in vascular dementia. With the BHF’s wealth of experience in vascular research and our expertise in dementia, I am confident that discoveries made at the new centre will dramatically improve clinical care and quality of life for the millions of people around the world affected by vascular dementia.”
With BHF’s support, UK DRI will now launch an international search for an accomplished and visionary vascular dementia researcher to lead the new Centre as the Director, and four further group leaders to join three existing group leaders in the UK DRI working on vascular dementia. The new team will partner with many others, both within and beyond the UK DRI, to advance this urgent work.
Prof Sir Nilesh Samani, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said:
“Vascular dementia is a cruel condition that robs people of their independence, devastating the lives of those affected and their loved ones. With around 13,000 people sadly losing their lives to the disease each year in the UK, it is vital we find new ways to prevent, halt and treat vascular dementia.
We’re proud to be joining forces with the UK DRI to launch the BHF-UK DRI Vascular Dementia Centre, bringing together the brightest minds to drive forward pioneering research into this devastating condition. By combining our expertise and resources, the Centre will provide an international platform for world-leading collaborations that will accelerate the global search for a cure.
We now need the support of generous supporters who can help us make our ambitions a reality, paving the way for the first effective treatments for vascular dementia.”
The search for the inaugural Centre Director will begin immediately with a full recruitment pack available early December 2023. For informal enquiries, please contact Prof Giles Hardingham.
Article published: 16 November 2023
