New Dementia Studies at CPFT | News and events

New studies open to help beat dementia with CPFT

 

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) is offering more research opportunities in order to help improve diagnosis, treatment and support for people living with dementia.

As we mark World Alzheimer’s Day (21 September), CPFT has shared details of the latest studies local people can take part in to help test new technologies and approaches for better dementia care.

Dr Ben Underwood, Clinical Director of CPFT’s specialist Windsor Research Unit (WRU), is also a Principal investigator leading many dementia studies and clinical trials with his team over the last decade, in partnership with the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University.

Ben said: “We have a number of exciting new studies opening this year that people in our region can help with, which were in the pipeline before the pandemic. It’s easy to volunteer by getting in touch with our friendly team at the Windsor Research Unit, or you can sign up online with Join Dementia Research. You can leave a study at any time and your contributions make a huge difference.”

CUMULUS

This study is investigating whether wearable technology can be used to measure brain health and thinking ability. Volunteers are needed to try out using a new technology at home that could support the development of new treatments for dementia. People aged 50 – 90 years with a diagnosis of dementia, and people without, can take part.

IMPRINT

With increasing evidence that the immune system may be involved in dementia, this research is looking in detail at the role it plays through blood tests, physical and cognitive assessments. Over 18 months, researchers will monitor immune system changes and any memory problems to understand how these may be linked, and how boosting the immune system may be able to help people at risk of dementia. Anyone aged 50 and over can take part, with or without a diagnosis of dementia or memory problems, and the research team are looking for healthy control volunteers.

QMIN

CPFT is working with the University of Cambridge to investigate whether a machine-learning algorithm can help diagnose patients early and give a more accurate prognosis by looking at MRI brain scans to identify patterns and combining these findings with the results of standard memory tests. Anyone attending the memory clinics run by CPFT for an assessment can take part if they need a routine brain scan, which will be extended for this research. Over 150 people have taken part already with CPFT this year.

Anyone who would like to take part in dementia research with CPFT can contact the Trust’s Windsor Research Unit team on 01223 219531 or email wru@cpft.nhs.uk.

For more information on the studies, visit the CPFT website here