Alzheimer’s research to be showcased

Almost 200 experts in the field of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease will gather in Dundee tomorrow (Thursday 27th June, 2002) to showcase the range of dementia research currently taking place in Scotland.

The ‘Dementia Expo Scotland 2002′ – The First Annual Meeting of the Scottish Dementia Network’ – also aims to and to bring people together to stimulate new research collaborations.

The one-day conference will bring together 180 scientists, GPs, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, support and advocacy projects, who all have an interest in dementia research in Scotland. The conference, at the Westpark Conference Centre, will involve a mixture of lectures, workshops, poster sessions and group discussions.

The event is being organised by Dr Arlene Astell, co-ordinator of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centre in Dundee, and lecturer in Psychology at the University of St Andrews; and Heather Wilkinson from the CSRD (Centre for Social Research on Dementia) in Stirling. Funding has been provided by the Carnegie Trust.

Representatives from key organisations such as Alzheimer Scotland Action on Dementia and the Care Commission for Scotland, as well as other organisations related to working with people with dementia, will also be in attendance.

Sessions will include: ‘Adding Value through Multidisciplinary Approaches to Research: the Persective of the Research Councils’; ‘Multidisciplinary Research Influences on Policy’; and ‘Genetic Advances in Dementia’.

Delegates will also be able to attend workshops on Ethics; Antioxidants and Alzheimer’s; Diagnosis Issues; Drugs and Dementia; and Adults with Incapacity Act.

Keynote speaker at the event will be Professor Simon Lovestone from the Institute of Psychiatry, who will warn of the complex picture of advances in dementia research.

“Understanding the genetics of early onset dementia has been tremendously productive in terms of drug discovery and that this has raised huge expectations of the genetics of late onset AD genetics. However such expectations are misplaced – the difficulty of doing complex disease genetics has been underestimated and the knowledge gained overestimated.

“Alongside this, and before there are any tangible gains for patients complex disease genetics, raises some ethical and clinical problems; although these too are often over exaggerated. Despite the difficulties, dementia genetics is an important field for study. In studying it and, surprisingly perhaps, we may learn more about the environment and about other diseases such as schizophrenia,” said Professor Lovestone.

Other contributors will include Dr Catherine Hennessy from the National Collaboration on Ageing Research; Rosemary Bland, formerly of the Social Work Services Inspectorate; and, Ailsa Cook, of the Centre for Social Research on Dementia. The day will also see the formal launch of the Scottish Dementia Network website – an online forum for collaboration.

NOTE TO EDITORS: ‘Dementia Expo Scotland 2002′ – The First Annual Meeting of the Scottish Dementia Network’ will take place at the West Park Conference Centre, Perth Road, Dundee between 9.30am and 4pm. Press are welcome to attend any of the sessions – full agenda attached. Please call Dr Arlene Astell today on 01334 462056 or tomorrow on 0794 141 8448 if you would like to attend.

Dementia Expo Scotland 2002 The First Annual Meeting of the Scottish Dementia Network

Thursday 27th June 2002 West Park Conference Centre, Dundee

Programme

9.30 – 10.00 Registration and Coffee

10.00 – 10.15 Welcome – Scottish Dementia Network, Aims of the Day Dr Heather Wilkinson, Centre for Social Research on Dementia Chair: Dr Arlene Astell, Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centre, Dundee and School of Psychology, University of St. Andrews

10.15 – 10.35 Adding Value through Multidisciplinary Approaches to Research: the Perspective of the Research Councils Dr Catherine Hennessy, National Collaboration on Ageing Research

10.35 – 10.55 Multidisciplinary Research Influences on Policy Rosemary Bland, Formerly, Social Work Services Inspectorate

10.55 – 11.05 Launch of the Scottish Dementia Network Web Site Ailsa Cook, Centre for Social Research on Dementia 11.05 – 11.45 Coffee and Poster Session 1

11.45 – 12.25 Workshop Session 1*

12.25 – 13.55 Lunch and Poster Session 2

13.55 – 14.35 Workshop Session 2*

14.35 – 15.45 Genetic Advances in Dementia Round table discussion with keynote paper from Professor Simon Lovestone, Institute of Psychiatry, followed by a multidisciplinary panel of experts in the field of dementia and open discussion from the floor.

15.45 – 16.00 Closing Address and Prize Giving Dr Arlene Astell, Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centre, Dundee and University of St Andrews

*Delegates may register for up to 2 workshops. Workshops will include: Ethics; Antioxidants and Alzheimer’s; Diagnosis Issues; Drugs and Dementia; Adults with Incapacity Act. Detailed information about the workshops and a workshop registration form will be posted to delegates before the event.

ENDS

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews Contact Gayle Cook on 01334 467227, mobile 07900 050103, or email [email protected] Ref:Alzheimers event pr260602 View the latest University news at http://www.st- andrews.ac.uk/extrel/press.htm