It is the largest gathering of dementia scientists that has ever taken place in the UK.

Experts have hailed the event, at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, as ‘a unique step forward on the path towards a future cure’ for a condition that affects 700,000 people in the UK and over 26 million worldwide.

Prof Julie Williams, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said:
“There is a real sense of excitement among scientists that we are making substantial progress in our efforts understand the causes of dementia. This will form the basis of new treatments, preventions and cures for the condition. The Alzheimer’s Research Trust’s conference is a unique opportunity to take a step forward on the path towards a future cure, as it encourages collaborations and dissemination of new research among experts.”

The conference will include presentations from world-leading scientists, including: Prof Claude Wischik on progress with Rember, a treatment that one trial suggested could slow Alzheimer’s by up to 81%; Prof Clive Holmes on amyloid plaque vaccination trials; and Prof Simon Lovestone on how we might enhance our understanding of dementia through music.

Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said:
“We are fortunate to have so many world-class dementia scientists in the UK, making substantial progress in their race for a cure. However, efforts are hampered by a paucity of government support; just 2.5% of the medical research budget is invested in dementia, eight times less than the support for cancer.”