News

The South West Dementia Brain Bank (SWDBB) has stepped up to become the UK’s Lead Centre for the Brains for Dementia Research (BDR) project, further strengthening its role in advancing dementia research.  In 2007, the Brains for Dementia Research project was established as a UK-wide network spanning six centres across England and Wales.    Through the project, people with and without dementia are followed over time by…

BRACE funded PhD student, Oliver Hermann recently completed his studies and has been awarded his doctorship. Congratulations to Dr Hermann.  During his PhD, Oliver undertook research at the University of Bath, which was led by Dr George Stothart, into the early Alzheimer’s test, Fastball. A key focus of his PhD was investigating the Fastball test as a means to potentially diagnosis…

Thank you to the Bristol Masons’ Charity for their generous donation of £2,000 to support innovative research, at the University of Bristol, looking into sleep patterns and earlier dementia diagnosis. By studying sleep patterns, the researchers hope to be able to predict patients at the highest risk of developing dementia in later life. It is…

In 2025, for every £1 raised 76p was spent on our charitable aims to understand the causes of dementia, develop earlier diagnosis tools and better treatments; and to educate the public.  Last year, BRACE funded over £1 million in research – the largest sum in the charity’s history. That milestone was only possible because of…

As temperatures rise across the UK, people living with dementia may be more vulnerable to the heat and require extra care. Dementia can affect a person’s ability to recognise when they are thirsty, feel too hot, or communicate that they are uncomfortable, making them more vulnerable during periods of warm weather. Keep an eye out…

Dementia Action Week 2026 was a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness & spark conversations to highlight the importance of dementia research. This year, BRACE focused on the theme ‘Let’s Talk Dementia’, encouraging people to open up conversations about dementia & challenge the stigma. Running for Research Dementia Action Week began with a celebration of our…

BRACE Dementia Research has received an incredible £8,500 donation from Bath & North East Somerset Council thanks to their involvement in a recycling scheme. The council receives income from the not-for-profit Recycling of Metals Scheme run by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM). With the consent of relatives, members of the scheme collect common…

A whopping £11,225 was raised (including Gift Aid) at the London Marathon by our inspiring #TeamBRACE runners. Thank you so much for your amazing fundraising efforts. Training for a marathon is no easy challenge, and to do this while raising vital funds for dementia research is an incredible achievement. Your dedication and generosity will help…

BRACE has awarded Swansea University researchers £102,949 to investigate a stomach hormone’s role in a potential new dementia treatment.  The funding has been awarded to Prof Jeff Davies and will be used to support a PhD student who will work alongside Prof Davies to conduct laboratory research into ghrelin, a stomach hormone best known for…

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) will review, for a second time, NHS use of the early Alzheimer’s drugs, lecanemab and donanemab. The breakthrough drugs, which are the first in the world to be disease-modifying, were rejected for NHS patient use due to the high cost, in 2025. However, they have been…