{"id":1045,"date":"2026-01-11T12:33:52","date_gmt":"2026-01-11T12:33:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fund.southampton.ac.uk\/innovation\/?page_id=1045"},"modified":"2026-04-17T21:28:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T21:28:51","slug":"dementia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/fund.southampton.ac.uk\/innovation\/dementia\/","title":{"rendered":"Dementia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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WHERE  
     DEMENTIA
     RESEARCH
     IS
     OPTIMI<\/mark>STIC<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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WHERE  
     DEMENTIA
     RESEARCH
     IS
     OPTIMI<\/mark>STIC<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Up to 20 years before any symptoms appear, dementia begins to attack the brain, causing irreversible damage.
You can help us to stop dementia in its tracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1 in 3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One in three people born today in the UK will develop dementia in their lifetime. This makes dementia a highly prevalent condition as our population ages.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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1M<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the UK alone nearly one million people are living with dementia now – this figure is projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040, putting even greater strain on health, care systems, families and carers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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57M<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around 57 million people live with dementia worldwide. This number is expected to more than double to an estimated 139 million by 2050.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Every three seconds, someone develops dementia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dementia is a cruel disease. One that strips our loved ones of their independence and steals precious memories. It\u2019s often described as a \u2018living grief\u2019. Sadly, there is no known cure and treatments are limited in who they work for and how long the effects last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of clinical trials have so far yielded few results. Despite over 55 million people suffering worldwide, dementia research lags years behind cancer. There is an urgent need for leading universities and research institutes, like Southampton, to respond.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Up to 20 years before any symptoms appear, dementia begins to attack the brain, causing irreversible damage.
You can help us to stop dementia in its tracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n

1 in 3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One in three people born today in the UK will develop dementia in their lifetime. This makes dementia a highly prevalent condition as our population ages.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

1 MILLION<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the UK alone nearly one million people are living with dementia now – this figure is projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040, putting even greater strain on health, care systems, families and carers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

57 MILLION<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around 57 million people live with dementia worldwide. This number is expected to more than double to an estimated 139 million by 2050.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Every three seconds, someone develops dementia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dementia is a cruel disease. One that strips our loved ones of their independence and steals precious memories. It\u2019s often described as a \u2018living grief\u2019. Sadly, there is no known cure and treatments are limited in who they work for and how long the effects last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of clinical trials have so far yielded few results. Despite over 55 million people suffering worldwide, dementia research lags years behind cancer. There is an urgent need for leading universities and research institutes, like Southampton, to respond.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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TACKLING DEMENTIA AT SOUTHAMPTON<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the University of Southampton, we want to improve people\u2019s chances of beating dementia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our discovery of the brain\u2019s self-cleaning system called Intramural Periarterial Drainage (IPAD)<\/strong> has led us to better understand the causes of dementia and explore ways to diagnose the condition much sooner. If dementia could be diagnosed before it manifests,<\/strong> then treatment, interventions and lifestyle changes could be put in place to prevent it or delay it considerably. Earlier diagnosis will also lead to more understanding <\/strong>about how the disease takes hold, helping us to uncover new treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Southampton\u2019s Professor Roxana Carare played a key role in a report by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants suggesting that air pollution can increase the risk of dementia.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Southampton\u2019s Interdisciplinary Dementia and Ageing Centre is a group of brilliant minds from diverse fields looking to drive positive change in dementia research. The group currently has no physical base of operations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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TACKLING DEMENTIA AT SOUTHAMPTON<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the University of Southampton, we want to improve people\u2019s chances of beating dementia.

Our discovery of the brain\u2019s self-cleaning system called Intramural Periarterial Drainage (IPAD)<\/strong> has led us to better understand the causes of dementia and explore ways to diagnose the condition much sooner. If dementia could be diagnosed before it manifests,<\/strong> then treatment, interventions and lifestyle changes could be put in place to prevent it or delay it considerably. Earlier diagnosis will also lead to more understanding <\/strong>about how the disease takes hold, helping us to uncover new treatments.

Southampton\u2019s Professor Roxana Carare played a key role in a report by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants suggesting that air pollution can increase the risk of dementia.<\/strong>

Southampton\u2019s Interdisciplinary Dementia and Ageing Centre is a group of brilliant minds from diverse fields looking to drive positive change in dementia research. The group currently has no physical base of operations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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THE IMI WILL ACCELERATE DEMENTIA RESEARCH<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To diagnose dementia sooner, we need a better understanding of how it develops and what causes it. Our ultimate goal is to use this information to develop new treatments that offer hope to the millions of people suffering with this devastating disease, and those who love them.   

Your donations will bring the very best people together,<\/strong> from a wide-range of fields, to find innovative, novel solutions for this life-altering disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The IMI will help us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unite our multidisciplinary team under one roof<\/strong>, equipped with state-of-the-art imaging, powerful computing and engineering facilities to analyse the root causes of dementia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Develop efficient, less invasive diagnostic tools<\/strong>, exploring the potential for a simple blood test or even a nasal swab to replace the invasive extraction of cerebrospinal fluid to detect dementia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pave the way for effective treatments for dementia<\/strong>, with a better understanding of what causes the disease to develop.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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THE IMI WILL ACCELERATE DEMENTIA RESEARCH<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To diagnose dementia sooner, we need a better understanding of how it develops and what causes it. Our ultimate goal is to use this information to develop new treatments that offer hope to the millions of people suffering with this devastating disease, and those who love them.   

Your donations will bring the very best people together,<\/strong> from a wide-range of fields, to find innovative, novel solutions for this life-altering disease.

The IMI will help us:

Unite our multidisciplinary team under one roof<\/strong>, equipped with state-of-the-art imaging, powerful computing and engineering facilities to analyse the root causes of dementia. 

Develop efficient, less invasive diagnostic tools<\/strong>, exploring the potential for a simple blood test or even a nasal swab to replace the invasive extraction of cerebrospinal fluid to detect dementia. 

Pave the way for effective treatments for dementia<\/strong>, with a better understanding of what causes the disease to develop.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The power of Early Detection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Early detection has the power to transform dementia research and care by focusing on prevention and intervention. Identifying the earliest biological and cognitive changes, often years before symptoms disrupt daily life, allows researchers to better understand how dementia develops and progresses. This opens the door to treatments that can slow, delay, or prevent the most devastating effects of the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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