Latest news with #RaceAgainstDementia
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Dementia warning as craving certain foods 'could be a sign of the disease'
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is one of the rare forms of dementia and can cause patients to crave sweet, fatty foods, or carbohydrates and even forget their table manners A hankering for certain food could be an early warning sign of dementia, experts have warned. Dementia is a broad term used to describe a variety of conditions that cause memory loss, with Alzheimer's disease being the most prevalent type. Vascular dementia accounts for the majority of other cases. However, there are also less common forms of dementia, one of which is known as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). This condition can lead to behavioural and language difficulties, and may even change a person's preferred food choices. Alzheimer's UK, a leading charity, explains that FTD patients may "crave sweet, fatty foods, or carbohydrates and forget their table manners". They added: "They may also no longer know when to stop eating, drinking alcohol, or smoking." Dementia is the leading cause of death in the UK, claiming the lives of approximately 67,000 people across the four nations each year. In an effort to raise awareness and accelerate scientific progress towards a cure, Scottish Formula One driver Sir Jackie Stewart founded Race Against Dementia after his wife was diagnosed with FTD in 2014. The charity is optimistic about the development of a new treatment for the disease within the next decade, according to scientist Dr Cara Croft. It is through that initiative that Sir Jackie is helping to fund a new trial at the University of Cambridge which hopes to spot signs of the disease in people many years before it ever begins to have an effect. In more than a decade since her diagnosis, however, Lady Helen's dementia has steadily progressed over time. And Sir Jackie, 85, previously recounted how his wife of more than 60 years forgot who he was. Speaking in 2022, he told the BBC: 'Just the other day it was time for dinner, she's getting up and I'm sitting close by, and she says, 'Where's Jackie?' That's the first time that's happened and that's only a few weeks ago. 'A bad feeling came over me.' He went on to say that his wife's mind is in 'a new world' and that she is now no longer able to walk on her own as a result of her condition. What are the symptoms of frontotemporal dementia (FTD)? As well as changes in eating habits, other symptoms of FTD include: Being insensitive or rude Acting impulsively Loss of inhibitions Seeming subdued Losing interest in people and things Losing drive and motivation Inability to emphasis with others Repetitive behaviours Compulsive eating Neglecting personal hygiene Using words incorrectly Loss of vocabulary Repeating a limited number of phrases Forgetting the meaning of common words
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Fangio helmet auction for Sir Jackie Stewart's dementia charity
A rare replica of the helmet worn by Formula 1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio is being auctioned to raise funds for Sir Jackie Stewart's Jackie founded Race Against Dementia after his wife was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in helmet was donated by the Foundacion Fangio Museo, and is being actioned by Northamptonshire-based F1 Authentics."Fangio was my hero. However, he wasn't just my hero, he was a close friend, a true gentleman and someone I respected immensely," Sir Jackie said. Race Against Dementia aims to help research into a cure for dementia, and is funding a new blood test trial developed by the University of study hopes to detect signs of frontotemporal dementia decades before it replica helmet features the original style used by the racing drivers during the early years of F1. It is 75 years since the first F1 Grand Prix and World Championship, and the auction will coincide with the Monaco Grand Prix at the end of the month, which Fangio won in won five championships and became a mentor to Sir Jackie, who went on to win Jackie said: "The Fangio helmet was gifted to me and I hope it will represent our friendship, and all that the great man stood for."To me, he remains the greatest driver of all time." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Scientists are using living human brain tissue to study Alzheimer's on their hunt for a cure - and experts are expecting a breakthrough
British scientists have used the tissue of a living human brain to mimic the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, in a study which will boost the search for a cure. The team from the University of Edinburgh used the healthy brain tissue from living NHS patients and exposed it to a protein linked to Alzheimer's, from patients who passed away from it. In a stunning scientific leap, researchers unlocked a rare chance to watch dementia take hold in human brain cells and experts believe this game-changing method could fast-track drug testing and crank up the odds of finally finding a cure. The study involved using tiny fragments of healthy brain tissue from cancer patients while they underwent routine surgery to remove tumours at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Once the pieces were collected, they were put into glass bottles with oxygenated artificial spinal fluid and taken into labs where they were sliced into thin pieces, less than a third of a millimetre thick and were kept in incubators to replicate the body temperature. Scientists then took the deadly amyloid beta straight from the brains of Alzheimer's victims and unleashed it on healthy brain tissue in the lab and watched as the disease developed. It was found that the brain did not try to repair the damage caused by the toxic protein, and even small changes were enough to disrupt brain cells. This will help scientists in their race to find a cure to the disease, and according to the leader of the experiment, it is bringing the scientific community 'one step closer' to finding a cure for it. Dr Claire Durrant said: 'We believe this tool could help accelerate findings from the lab into patients, bringing us one step closer to a world free from the heartbreak of dementia. 'These findings are a testament to the incredible support of my funders and the hard work of my team members Dr Robert McGeachan and Dr Soraya Meftah, who led on the experiments.' Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, founder of Race Against Dementia, which has supported Dr Durrant's laboratory since 2019 said: 'It's a horrendous reality that as things stand, one in three people born today, will die with dementia. 'Someone develops dementia every three seconds – and we still don't have a cure. I created Race Against Dementia to challenge this awful disease in the fullest sense. 'Our collaboration across industries allows us to think more keenly and faster, and the breakthrough that we have achieved shows what is possible when science moves faster, with new tools and fresh thinking. 'Our unique program is enabling us to test potential treatments which are bringing us closer to a world without dementia. I am sure that for you, like me, that cannot happen soon enough.' Professor Tara Spires-Jones, Group Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh said: 'This important work by Dr Durrant's team brings a new tool to scientists' toolbox to better understand Alzheimer's disease and how to treat it. 'The use of living human tissue samples generously donated by people undergoing surgery to remove brain tumours allows scientists to probe how living human brain reacts to toxic proteins produced in Alzheimer's, and in future will allow testing of whether new treatments are effective in human brain. 'This cutting-edge study is an example of how the UK Dementia Research Institute is at the forefront of global efforts to understand and treat Alzheimer's.'
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
In breakthrough study, scientists watch dementia unfold using live brain cells
For the first time, a team of researchers have used living human brain tissue to see how dementia unfolds in the brain cells. "Experts said the new way of studying the disease could make it easier to test new drugs and boost the chances of finding ones that work," The Guardian reported citing a study by researchers from the University of Edinburgh. "In the study, scientists and neurosurgeons in Edinburgh teamed up to show for the first time how a toxic form of a protein linked to Alzheimer's, amyloid beta , can stick to and destroy vital connections between brain cells." Amyloid beta is a sticky protein that plays a big role in dementia, especially Alzheimer's. In a healthy brain, it's cleared out regularly. But sometimes, it starts to pile up and form clumps or plaques between brain cells kind of like unwanted gunk. These clumps mess with how brain cells talk to each other and can trigger inflammation, making things worse over time. This buildup is one of the early signs doctors look for when diagnosing Alzheimer's. For the study, the researchers collected tiny fragments of health brain tissue from cancer patients who were admitted at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. The collected tissues were put in glass bottles filled with oxygenated artificial spinal fluid and taken to the lab for study. "There, samples were sliced into thin pieces, less than a third of a millimetre thick, and laid out in small dishes. Each piece of living brain tissue was kept in a nutrient-rich liquid, inside an incubator at 37C to mimic body temperature," the report says. The team found that when exposed to the toxic protein, the brain did not attempt to repair damage. "Even small changes in natural levels of amyloid beta – increasing or decreasing – were enough to disrupt brain cells. This suggests that the brain requires a finely tuned sweet spot of the protein to function properly," Dr Claire Durrant, a Race Against Dementia fellow and UK Dementia Research Institute emerging leader at the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh told the media outlet. Hope for a cure for dementia? 'The use of living human tissue samples generously donated by people undergoing surgery to remove brain tumours allows scientists to probe how living human brain reacts to toxic proteins produced in Alzheimer's, and in future will allow testing of whether new treatments are effective in human brain," Prof Tara Spires-Jones, group leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute told the media. This breakthrough will help scientists focus on identifying drugs most likely to prevent the loss of synapses—critical connections that enable communication between brain cells and are essential for healthy brain function. Alzheimer's targets these synapses, and their deterioration is a strong predictor of memory loss and impaired cognitive abilities. Dementia in the US Dementia is becoming a major health challenge in the U.S., especially as the population ages. Right now, over 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, and that number is expected to double in the next couple of decades. It's not just about forgetting names or where you put your keys; dementia slowly affects thinking, reasoning, memory, and even basic day-to-day functions. It can hit families hard, both emotionally and financially, as care needs increase over time. What's worrying is that many people still confuse dementia with normal aging, which delays diagnosis and treatment. Scientists are exploring everything from lifestyle changes to experimental drugs that target harmful proteins like amyloid beta and tau. The goal? Help people with dementia live with dignity and independence for as long as possible. It's a tough journey, but with awareness, compassion, and science, there's hope on the horizon. Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Daily Mail
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Michael Schumacher praised for 'emotional' act - with ex-Formula One star hoping 'it's a sign' racing legend is 'on the mend'
Michael Schumacher's former team-mate has hailed the Formula One legend after he signed a special helmet to be auctioned off for charity. Mail Sport revealed earlier this month that Schumacher, who has not been seen in public since he suffered serious brain damage in a skiing accident in December 2013, signed the helmet with the help of his wife Corinna. Corinna, who nurses Schumacher with a retinue of medical staff at their home on the shores of Lake Geneva, helped him to write his initials 'MS' on the helmet. Schumacher joined every living world champion in contributing his signature to the helmet, which will be sold to raise funds for Sir Jackie Stewart's Race Against Dementia charity. In total, 20 world champions have written their signatures on the helmet. Johnny Herbert, Schumacher's teammate at Benetton in 1994 and 1995, said his signature was an 'emotional' moment. Herbert expressed his hope that Schumacher's contribution was a sign that the 56-year-old is 'on the mend'. 'It's wonderful news that Michael Schumacher signed Jackie Stewart's helmet,' Herbert told FastSlots. 'It was a wonderful moment. 'We haven't seen something emotional like this in years, and hopefully, it's a sign. 'Hopefully, Michael is on the mend. It's been a long, horrible journey for the family, and maybe we'll hopefully see him in the F1 paddock soon. 'Michael Schumacher making an appearance at an F1 race weekend would be one of those special moments from one of the greatest drivers we have ever seen. 'It would be so welcomed, not just from everyone in the paddock, but everyone around the world. Considering the awful situation he found himself in, and to battle back against it, it would be amazing. 'I hope we continue to hear this positive news more often.' Herbert, who finished fourth in the World Championship in 1995 and later became an FIA steward, made the comments after the helmet was revealed earlier this month. The white helmet with Royal Stewart Tartan – as worn by Stewart in a career in the Sixties and Seventies that yielded three world titles – was revealed at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Stewart, 85, wore the helmet as he drover his 1973 championship-winning Tyrrell on an exhibition lap prior to the race. Speaking to Mail Sport, Stewart said: 'It is wonderful that Michael could sign the helmet in this worthy cause – a disease for which there is no cure. His wife helped him, and it completed the set of every single champion still with us.' Race Against Dementia was set up by Stewart after his wife of 53 years, Lady Helen, started to suffer dementia. He told the BBC heartbreakingly last week that were moments when she no longer recognised him. 'Where's Jackie?' she asked him as she got up for dinner. 'That was the first time it has happened. She is in a new world.' As for Schumacher, he was placed in a medically induced coma after his accident in Meribel in the French Alps – a few months before Lady Stewart's diagnosis.
