Research | Dementia Research Network Ireland

The Prevalence of Primary Tauopathies in Ireland; a Clinically Defined Study in the Province of Leinster

Progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal syndrome are progressive neurodegenerative diseases characterised by parkinsonian features (stiffness, slowness and tremor), balance difficulty with falls, abnormalities in the control of eye movements, difficulty with skilled movement (apraxia) and thinking problems. We currently do not have any information on the number of people in Ireland living with these conditions.

TUDA study

The Trinity-Ulster-Department-of-Agriculture (TUDA) cohort is a unique and innovative resource for ageing research designed to assess the impact of nutritional, lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors on diseases of ageing, particularly in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, dementia and osteoporosis.

TUDA Study

Identification of eating, drinking and swallowing difficulty in early-stage dementia

Eating, drinking and swallowing (EDS) difficulty is common in dementia and earlier identification could reduce morbidity, mortality, healthcare costs and improve quality of care. A proactive and condition-specific strategy for identifying EDS difficulty at an early stage for people living with dementia has yet to be developed. Before this can be achieved, holistic person-centred early indicators of EDS difficulty in early-stage dementia are needed and more understanding of barriers to early identification is required.

The Eye in Down syndrome as a window to Alzheimer’s Disease

Early, non-invasive, inexpensive biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) are much needed. Those with Down syndrome (DS) are the largest patient group at increased risk of AD. Evidence suggests that imaging the eye could be a non-invasive biomarker to screen for AD. However, there is limited information regarding ocular changes in DS. Our group was the first to image the lens in DS, revealing the presence of small ‘dot’ opacities in the lens in 54% of individuals with DS.

Some Dance to Remember

To investigate the psychosocial effects of the introduction of an adaptive Irish Céilí dance group activity with people living with dementia and their carers.

A Virtual Reality Social Connecting Space for Older Adults Living with Dementia

The aim of this study is to inform the design of a virtual reality (VR) social connecting space for older adults living with dementia.

Including best practices and the voices of experience in developing post-diagnostic dementia support guidelines for people with an intellectual disability

To develop accessible best practice guidelines for post-diagnostic dementia supports for people with an intellectual disability in Ireland. The project aims to:

(1) examine the current landscape of post-diagnostic care at a national level;

(2) consider barriers to access;

(3) incorporate existing best practices; and

(4) give due consideration of the experiences and recommendations of people with an intellectual disability living with dementia and of their families/carers.

Valuing Psychosocial Care in Dementia

This research project focuses on how person-centred, non-pharmacological approaches to care are valued in dementia and a contingent valuation approach will be used to examine preferences and values from citizens with respect to alternative types of care. The research also involves creating a taxonomy of psychosocial supports in dementia care in Ireland, including the evaluation of a number of psychosocial interventions including Alzheimer Cafés.

Economics of Informal Care for People with Dementia

This research programme focuses on the economic, social, health and emotional costs of caring for people with dementia. The research will provide longitudinal estimates of the relationships between informal care costs and cognitive function, comorbidities and behavioural changes in people with dementia, including an exploration of the potential of psychosocial interventions and technology-based interventions for care-givers to ameliorate the potential burden of care.