I am a neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology Queen Square, and a dementia researcher at University College London. My clinical practice and much of my research is focussed on patients with young onset dementia - that is with disease onset under the age of 65. 

Individuals with young onset dementia often have problems other than with memory. These include:

• difficulties with vision (posterior cortical atrophy)
• erratic or unusual behaviour (frontotemporal dementia)
• problems with speech (primary progressive aphasia).

In addition, some patients with young onset dementia will have a faulty gene that runs through their family causing either:

• familial Alzheimer's disease; or 
• familial frontotemporal dementia

This means that they and their families do not only need to manage with their own cognitive problems, but also the knowledge that direct family members are at risk of developing the same condition.

Patients with unusual dementias often have different needs to patients with more typical, late onset dementia. And, being relatively rare disorders, they often report being isolated and unsupported. 

With my colleagues at the Dementia Research Centre, I am delighted to contribute to Rare Dementia Support which runs specialist support services for individuals living with, or affected by, one of these rarer dementias. Our vision is for all individuals with or at risk of one of these forms of dementia to have access to information, support and contact with others affected by similar conditions. 

This October will be an auspicious month for me. Not only will I become a Professor of Neurology at UCL, but I will also be running my first ever half-marathon, to raise money for Rare Dementia Support.

Thank you for sponsoring me - as a small charity any funds raised  make a real difference, and my patients and I are truly grateful.