New brain scanner to help with dementia

A SCANNER which could enable scientists to develop better treatments for dementia and other brain conditions is to be installed at a Scottish university.

The machine will produce highresolution pictures of the brain

The new equipment – said to be the first of its kind in Scotland – will give scientists the clearest picture yet of what goes wrong in the brain when dementia occurs, the University of Edinburgh said.

Using the device will enable researchers to look in detail at what is going on inside patients’ brains. It will also help doctors identify patients who are most likely to benefit from new therapies, and to monitor the effects of their treatment.

The system combines magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans with positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to produce high-resolution pictures of the tissue of the brain.

It will let researchers track the movement of individual molecules within the brain’s cells.

The Medical Research Council (MRC) has awarded £6.8 million to support the programme. Professor Ian Deary, director of the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, who led the bid, said: “Advanced brain imaging and stem cell research are likely routes to better understanding of the causes and progress of dementias.

“It is heartening to see the huge, fast-growing challenge of cognitive decline and dementia being tackled by the MRC.”

Other organs of the body can also be studied with the device, enabling insights into diseases of the heart, blood vessels, lung and various types of cancer.

The scanner will be housed by the Clinical Research Imaging Centre at the university.

Professor Edwin van Beek, co-director of the centre, said: “The MRI-PET scanner will complement facilities at the University of Edinburgh, which are helping research across the spectrum of human health from pregnancy to ageing.”

Latest figures reveal there are just over 85,000 dementia sufferers in Scotland and that about a fifth – 3,201 – are under the age of 65.

Dementia is a syndrome associated with damage to the brain, which can affect memory, language and understanding.

The condition usually affects people over the age of 65, and many sufferers rely on support from relatives and friends.

People with the condition can sometimes have trouble controlling their emotions or handling social situations and need help to make decisions.

There is no cure for dementia and related conditions such as Alzheimer’s, and symptoms become worse over time, although there are treatments to help people better cope.

NHS Scotland has spent more than £38m on prescriptions for dementia drugs in the past three years,.

Since April 2013, every person diagnosed with dementia in Scotland is entitled to at least one year of post-diagnostic support.