The decision by Atlantic Philanthropies to give the largest grant in its history to Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) puts Ireland at the forefront of worldwide research into dementia. By setting up a transatlantic Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) with the €138 million donation, the universities plan to train some 600 health professionals to become leaders in developing dementia-related healthcare programmes. And a separate innovative programme will focus on training journalists, managers and filmmakers to teach others about the preventable causes of cognitive impairment.
There are some 50,000 people living in the Republic with dementia and an estimated 48 million people suffering from the disordor worldwide; without effective intervention these numbers are expected to double in the next 20 years. Described by TCD professor of psychology and GBHI co-director Ian Robertson as a public health emergency akin to the Aids epidemic of the 1980s, an effective treatment for dementia has eluded researchers.
The top three causes of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease, vascular (multi-infarct) dementia and Lewy Body Dementia. Common to each is progressive cognitive impairment leading to memory and cognitive issues which challenge a person’s ability to function independently. However it is estimated that up to 20 per cent of new dementia cases may be preventable through lifestyle changes and by tackling risk factors such as diabetes and heart disease.
Noting there are no magic bullet solutions, Atlantic's president and chief executive Christopher Oeschli said: "We think ultimately investing in the people and the cohorts of multidisciplinary thinkers is possibly the best way to have the best impact".
A world that is better for everyone to grow old in is a noble aspiration; this generous grant from philanthropist Chuck Feeney will help build the human capital we need to meet the major societal challenges posed by dementia.