A FORMER scientist from the region is at the forefront of a new campaign aimed at boosting research into the study of dementia.

Join Dementia Research is a collaboration between the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Alzheimer’s Research UK, the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer Scotland and is funded by the Department of Health. The new service promises to accelerate the pace of dementia research by allowing people with and without dementia to sign up to studies.

After piloting the service for six months, more than 1,500 people have signed up and already more than 200 of them have participated in studies through Join Dementia Research.

More than 100 volunteers have already signed up in the North-East and Cumbria region. Nine studies are open to recruitment in the region, the majority in Newcastle.

Dementia affects more than 850,000 people in the UK, with 25 million of the UK population having a close friend or family member affected.

One of them is Andrew Brown, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, who cared for his mother for a number of years.

Mr Brown is a former scientist who helped shape the Join Dementia Research service. He said: “I do have a history of dementia in my family, as my mother and at least five of her siblings had the condition.

"I cared for her for many years and it is definitely in my interests to join in with the research to try and find a cure.”

The joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk website offers a secure and easy way for someone to register their interest, discover studies that interest them and ultimately connect with researchers to take part in their studies.

Anyone aged 18 years or over can sign up themselves, or on behalf of someone else, either by registering online or by contacting the helplines of Alzheimer’s Research UK on 0300 111 5 111 or Alzheimer’s Society on 0300 222 1122.

By signing up to the service, people give permission for researchers to contact them with details of studies in their area that match their profile. People can then decide if they would like to take part.

Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt, said: “This is an important initiative, and I encourage anyone who is interested to visit the website or call the charity helplines to find out more about how they can help us tackle dementia.”