Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia in the UK, affecting an estimated 850,000 people in the UK and 7 million across Europe. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s (which is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide) are debilitating and largely untreatable conditions that are strongly linked with age. It costs around €130 billion a year to care for people with dementia across Europe, meaning that age-related neurodegenerative disease is one of the largest medical and societal challenges faced by our society.
The 91¶¶Òõ is a partner in the €3.9 million MADIA project (Magnetic Diagnostic Assay for neurodegenerative diseases) which will use MADIA technology, applying an array of Magnetic Sensors capable of recognizing biomarkers obtained from cerebrospinal fluid or blood samples. The ability to make an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s will improve the efficacy of current therapies which have been shown to slow the progression, particularly of Parkinson’s disease, as currently there is no cure for either disease.