DREAMS-AD
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Determining Rate of Early Memory and Sleep change in Alzheimer’s Dementia
IRAS ID
301077
Contact name
Elizabeth Coulthard
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bristol
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
There are estimated to be 850000 people living with dementia in the UK alone where it is recognised as the leading cause of death. These numbers are forecast to rise by 35% by 2025 and 146% by 2050. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia accounting for approximately two thirds of all cases in the UK.
The association between AD and sleep disturbance is well established but the extent to which sleep disturbance alters the trajectory of AD development is not known, particularly in a real-world population. This study proposes to understand more of the nature, severity and frequency of sleep disturbances that are associated with real-world cognitive decline.
By understanding which types, and at which level of severity, sleep disturbances begin to exert an effect on disease trajectory, the myriad of interventions available to treat sleep disturbance could potentially be deployed at the most effective point. This in turn could lead to a meaningful change in the progression of neurodegenerative disease through slowing of symptomatic development or delaying conversion to a dementia syndrome.
This observational study proposes to ask attendees to the Cognitive Disorders Clinic whether they would be prepared to share data collected as part of their usual clinical appointments to allow us to explore relationships between sleep and cognitive change.
REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/SW/0132
Date of REC Opinion
16 Dec 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion