Alzheimer’s Research UK Chariots of Fire 2017

All money raised through the 2017 Chariots of Fire will power a pioneering brain imaging project at the University of Cambridge exploring new treatment and prevention approaches for people with Down’s syndrome who are at a much higher risk of Alzheimer's. Last year, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias overtook heart disease as the leading cause of death for England and Wales. There are 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK today, a number forecast to hit one million in the next decade.  

It may come as a surprise to hear that there’s a link between dementia and Down’s syndrome. Around 50% of people with Down’s syndrome develop Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, by their 50s and there are 40-60,000 people in the UK with Down’s syndrome. Their far greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s makes them an important and understudied group of people who would benefit from new treatments and prevention approaches. 

The findings from this study have the potential to not only shed light on a critical period in the disease for preventative treatment in people with Down’s syndrome, but will also provide insight that could benefit everyone affected by Alzheimer’s.    

Our vision, as the UK’s leading dementia research charity, is to create a world free from the fear, harm and heartbreak of dementia. We must change the outlook for people with dementia, their carers, and families. 

The answer lies in research.   

To find out more about the project, visit http://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/chariots-of-fire