BRACE supports research by the Department of Care of the Elderly of the University of Bristol into the diseases and conditions of the elderly and in particular Alzheimer's disease. We provide financial support to the research programmes detailed below.

Although research into dementia is being carried out all over the world, Bristol is unusual in that many different aspects of the condition are being investigated by a dedicated multi-disciplinary team known as the Bristol Dementia Research Group. The group is led by Professor Gordon Wilcock BSc DM(Oxon) FRCP and is part of the Department of Care of the Elderly at the University of Bristol.

The research programme is undertaken at three different hospitals:

Dr David Dawbarn is head of the Molecular Neurobiology Group at the Bristol Royal Infirmary

The group is looking at several areas of interest including how a person's genes may influence the number of connections their brain cells make and how the levels of certain chemicals are altered in Alzheimer's disease. From the results of this work and the work of other groups around the world, Dr Dawbarn and his team are trying to find new therapeutic targets for the development of drugs that might prevent the accumulation of the plaques and tangles that damage the brain cells.

The Brace Centre at Blackberry Hill Hospital is home to the Bristol Memory Disorders Clinic and Clinical Research Centre.

The Memory Disorders Clinic is at the forefront of the outpatient assessment and diagnosis of dementing conditions. People with memory problems are referred to the clinic from GPs in the North Bristol Trust area. Patients attending the clinic will see a doctor and a psychologist and may also be asked to see a psychiatrist. The initial examination extends over two visits to the clinic and a visit to Frenchay Hospital for a CT scan of the brain.

The Clinical Research Centre is a part of the Department of Care of the Elderly at the University of Bristol. It conducts research into clinical aspects of the dementias including the trials of new drugs, development of new and evaluation of previously published neuropsychological tests, development of scales to assess the impact of dementia on daily life and how dementia affects thinking and memory.

Molecular Genetics Laboratory and South West Dementia Brain Bank is headed by Dr. Patrick Kehoe and is based in the John James Laboratories at Frenchay hospital

The tissue held in the Brain Bank has been donated for research by sufferers of dementia and those without any memory problems. It is an invaluable resource which is made available to researchers worldwide to enable them to directly compare material from affected and non-affected people.

It is unfortunate that the only way to definitely diagnose Alzheimer's disease is by examining the brain after death though clinicians are becoming more and more accurate each year as better diagnostic tools are developed.

Being sure of a diagnosis means that the research focus at Frenchay has been able to be extended to look at the genetic background of sufferers and non-sufferers and to compare their DNA (the information we all carry in each cell of the body). Some people have slightly different or abnormal forms of certain genes belived to be linked to Alzheimer's disease, which may make them more susceptible to developing the condition.

Other areas of research include how inflammation in brain tissue may play a role in dementia and why amyloid is deposited in blood vessels in the brains of virtually all Alzheimer's sufferers.

In addition to direct grants of £197,292 paid over to the Department of Care of the Elderly in 2004, at the end of 2004 BRACE had committed to:

• support reseach staff and PhD students in the Department of Care of the Elderly resulting in a commitment of approximately £152,000 (2003: £150,000).
• a 3-year project grant of £310,804 of which, at 31 December 2004, £72,970 had been paid over to the University, leaving a balance of £237,834 (2003: nil).

A detailed Annual Report for 2004 is available free of charge by contacting the BRACE Appeal Office.