Professor Tony Broe is a geriatrician and neurologist who has made lasting and meaningful contributions to medical research. The Australasian Journal on Ageing recently published a reflection from Prof Broe, in which he describes with flair his experience as an ‘elder statesman’ in the field. Here are some excerpts from his recollection of early studenthood in 1954 to his current position at NeuRA, […]
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Why is it that if you keep an active mental life by playing complicated board games or learning a language, or if you keep physically fit, you are less likely to succumb to dementia? A/Prof John Kwok is addressing this question by looking at how lifestyle can alter the function of genes related to dementia. To do this, he is engaging with […]
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Dr James Burrell is a Senior Research Officer and clinical neurologist whose research interests lie in linking clinical symptoms and pathology in dementia syndromes. In my work as a clinical neurologist, I often encounter people who are concerned that they might be developing the dreaded d-word: dementia. They report being more forgetful than previously, forgetting the names of people, places […]
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Dr Muireann Irish uncovers the part of the brain that underpins social cognitive deficits in semantic dementia, further unraveling mysteries behind the disease. It may sound like the subject matter of a science fiction movie, but mind-reading is a process in which we regularly engage. On a daily basis, whenever we interact in social scenarios, we go beyond our own […]
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If you want to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, says Dr Scott Kim, be mindful of your cholesterol levels.
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The inability to understand facial expressions can have a profound effect on the lives of people with dementia and their families, says Dr Fiona Kumfor. Recently I met a lady who, despite only being in her 50s, was suspected of having dementia. Susan* and her family had come to the dementia clinic at NeuRA (where I conduct research) to get help […]
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Brain donor program coordinator Lauren Bartley says while it can be difficult to talk to people about brain donation, it’s for a very important cause.
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PhD candidate Marshall Dalton explains that there’s a big difference between memory lapses due to healthy ageing and the memory problems associated with dementia.
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Accurately diagnosing conditions of the brain such as dementia can be very challenging; there are no easy blood tests or scans that tell us without a doubt what a patient is suffering from. Diagnosis involves observing the patient’s symptoms and performing a number of clinical tests such as testing memory function, and depends on a good understanding of what symptoms […]
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At NeuRA, we work with patients who have a form of younger-onset dementia called semantic dementia (SD). These patients experience progressive damage to a specific region of the brain called the temporal lobes; as a result, they forget the names and functions of simple objects and lose the ability to recognise familiar faces or popular tunes. Despite these profound difficulties […]
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