Approved research

Identifying prevention targets for dementia in genetically stratified population subgroups.

Lay summary

There is no cure for dementia and available treatments for managing the symptoms are largely ineffective. Identifying modifiable risk factors for preventing or delaying dementia is a priority. Around 35% of dementia cases are believed to be preventable through targeting modifiable risk factors. UK Biobank collected an extensive range of potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia, including data from questionnaires, physical measures, accelerometry, blood biochemistry, environment, sleep quality, and a wide range of psychosocial factors. The cohort also includes genome-wide genotypic data, and an extensive range of cognitive function measures on its participants. Understanding genetic influence, which can make people more, or less, amenable to the preventive measures, is also important. We aim to (a) identify potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia, (b) estimate genetic susceptibility to dementia of the UK Biobank participants using the available genotype data, (c) assess the extent to which genetic susceptibility moderates the effects of prevention targets on cognitive function/dementia, and (d) identify prevention targets within subgroups by assessing stratum specific associations between prevention targets and dementia/cognitive function. The study will generate valuable information on modifiable prevention factors of dementia.