Dementia Research Centre

The Dementia Research Centre (DRC) is part of University College London's Department of Neurodegenerative Disease. The DRC is part of the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Queen Square, London and is affiliated with the Hospital's Specialist Cognitive Disorders Clinic. It is a major centre for clinical trials to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, and a major centre for research into dementia.

The DRC's research includes:

  • Collaborative work that led to identifying the first Alzheimer's disease gene
  • Identifying pre-symptomatic cognitive and imaging changes in Alzheimer's disease
  • Developing new MRI imaging techniques to improve diagnosis and track progression of Alzheimer's disease
  • Research into rarer causes of dementia such as frontotemporal dementia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy and prion disease

The departmental head is Prof Martin Rossor. Prof Elizabeth Warrington FRS is Emeritus Professor. The DRC is also home to Prof Nick Fox, who pioneered serial volumetric magnetic resonance imaging in Alzheimer's disease.

The DRC run several support groups for people suffering from dementia, their family, carers and healthcare professionals. These groups include:

  • Familial Alzheimer's support group
  • Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) support group

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