1. Dementia Research and Enterprise at Liverpool John Moores University
Davide Bruno

2. Overview
Liverpool John Moores University is a public research university located in Liverpool city centre
Close to 27,000 student + staff population
Largest in Liverpool
Post-1992 University

3. Dementia Research and Engagement
Pragmatic Approach Centre for Collaborative Innovation in Dementia School of Art and Design
Realistic Approach Institute for Health Research MeNu

4. The Pragmatics

5. Centre for Collaborative Innovation in Dementia
The centre works with partners (industry, academia, people living with dementia, PwD) to innovate and validate solutions for real life challenges
Centre lead is Grahame Smith
Located in Liverpool city centre

6. Centre for Collaborative Innovation in Dementia
Health & Social Care
Business
Academia
Service Users

7. Centre for Collaborative Innovation in Dementia
Success stories Innovate Dementia: European funded project to innovate dementia care with PwD at the centre HELIUM: European funded, increase efficiency of public funding Health Enterprise Hub Innovation Exchange to grow business in Liverpool

8. School of Art and Design
Design for Dementia
From Amazon: “(…) Design Guide to assist designers (…) to tackle the challenges of dementia in society”
Focus on Familiarity, dementia friendly neighbourhoods

9. The Realists

10. Institute for Health Research
Research, scholarship and knowledge exchange for lifelong health and well-being
Understanding and changing behaviour
Understanding and treating disease and illness
Educating the workforce via evidence based practice

11. Institute for Health Research
Cardiovascular
Health
Therapeutics
Aging
Digital
health
Sensors
for
Children’s
Green
Spaces
Food, Nutrition
and Health
Workforce Education
Image and
Performance
Enhancing
Drugs

12. MeNu: Research in memory and neurodegeneration
Based at LJMU, led by myself
Part of a wide collaborative network

13. Dementia: A global problem
Dementia prevalence expected to increase worldwide Emphasis on developing countries

14. Early detection of neurodegeneration
Increasing importance of early detection Accuracy Accessibility Acceptance
Cost
Easy to use? Quick? Practical?
Does it look scary? (Spinal tap)
Do I have to learn something new?
Does it look Useful to me?
If familiar, probably yes.

15. Triple-A Approach Employ cognitive testing (Accessible)
Transforming existing tools (Acceptable)
Increase Accuracy

16. Triple-A Approach Mobile technologies (phones, tablets); HEIF funding
Adapt existing cognitive tests
Emphasis on serial position performance (Bruno et al., 2013; 2015; 2016; 2017)

17. Serial Position
Troyer (2011)
Predictive of cognitive decline in high functioning older adults
Predictive of MCI conversion over ~10 yrs
Predictive of hippocampal volume

18. Serial Position Also predictive of cognitive decline
Troyer (2011)
Also predictive of cognitive decline
Sensitive to Glutamate levels; measures of blood-brain barrier breakdown; and tau pathology

19. Late-life Depression
Major depression and depressive symptoms are linked to dementia, both AD and VaD
But it is unclear whether this is a prodrome, a risk factor, a combination
Also unclear why a person may progress and another may not

20. Late-life Depression High-functioning depressed individuals 60+
Genetic, cognitive and biomarkers profile
Main finding: Amyloid beta levels in CSF tend to fluctuate
Correlate with depression severity rather than intellectual impairment

21. On the Horizon
Use of serial position-derived measure in conjunction with polygenic risk scores and non-APOE genetic risk factors
The possible link between football play and CTE

22. Summary Developing a few areas of inquiry in the dementia field
Some more pragmatic and focused on helping make a more dementia-friendly world
And some more speculative and with a cognitive/neurobiological impetus

23. Thank you
Questions?