Epidemic on the cards says Bentley parishioner

02 May 2012

By Glynnis Grainger

Alzheimer’s disease will destroy Australia if no effective treatments are found, says Santa Clara Bentley parishioner and leading researcher Professor Ralph Martins.

Alzheimer’s disease will be the biggest killer of Australians by 2050, according to leading researcher and Santa Clara Bentley parishioner, Professor Ralph Martins.

The professor participated at an international conference held in Perth recently where world Alzheimer’s researchers presented their work on lifestyle factors playing a role in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

There was general consensus, Prof Martins said, that an action plan needed to be developed if Australia was to avert a major Alzheimer’s disease epidemic of over one million people in the next 40 years.

“Alzheimer’s disease is going to destroy Australia in 40 years’ time if no effective treatments are found or prevention strategies implemented,” Prof Martins said.

“The fabric of Australian society will be severely damaged.”

With those expectations in mind, Prof Martins and the Perth-based McCusker Alzheimer’s Disease Research Foundation he heads are expanding their groundbreaking research to India.

A total of 1,600 people from all walks of life are currently being recruited for a major study beginning at the end of the year.

“In India, we are starting to recruit people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias as well as healthy controls at five major centres throughout the country,” Prof Martins said.

“This cohort of people will be studied along the lines that have already been established for the Australian imaging biomarkers (AIBL) and lifestyle study of ageing.

“It is hoped that through this Indian collaboration we will confirm the blood biomarkers that will form the basis of a blood test for Alzheimer’s disease,” he said.

The study’s second major objective will be to identify lifestyle factors that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s, the professor indicated.

The Archives of Neurology, a US journal, recently accepted Prof Martins’ work identifying the panel of blood biomarkers that distinguish Alzheimer’s disease from healthy controls, for publication.

“Further studies in other populations throughout the world will determine whether these biomarkers will serve as a diagnostic blood test for Alzheimer’s disease,” Prof Martins said.

Prevention is a key focus for the Bentley acolyte who is also the president of Bentley’s St Vincent de Paul conference.

At the recent conference, frequent brisk walking, a healthy and nutritious diet and stimulating activities for the brain were all put forward as helping to delay or prevent dementia.

Discussed risk factors for dementia included high blood pressure (hypertension), obesity, diabetes and smoking.

In addition to the McCusker Foundation-hosted conference, a public seminar was held at the Hyatt Regency Perth where a number of research leaders gave presentations to more than 320 people (a DVD of the lecture is available from the McCusker Foundation).

The McCusker Foundation is extending its program of brain screening to continue its study of the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s.

“We are now using this brain imaging test to assess the efficacy of drugs or herbal compounds such as curcumin for their ability to lower the levels of the toxic amyloid that builds up and causes Alzheimer’s disease in the brain,” Prof Martins said.

“This amyloid imaging test is the ‘gold standard’ for determining which drugs will be most effective in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.”

For more information or to make a donation, contact McCusker Alzheimer’s Research Foundation on 9347 4200 or visit www.alzheimers.com.au.