The University of Sheffield is part of the NIHR Dementia Translational Research Collaboration (Dementia TRC), working with industry, academics and partners to accelerate the translation of discoveries into clinical practice and improve the diagnosis and treatment of dementia.
The Neuroscience Institute uses a multidisciplinary research approach to carry out research into many aspects of dementia. The University of Sheffield leads on many studies in collaboration with partners such as the Universities of Leeds, Cambridge and Munich.
A cluster of studies uniting strengths to take advantage of the multimodal imaging approach
Using the PET-MRI scanner, this cluster of studies focuses on mild cognitive impairment, an early stage of dementia that is regarded as the most critical period for intervention.
“If anything can be done to stop or slow down the progression of the disease, this mild cognitive impairment stage is potentially the last chance to do so” explains Li Su, Professor of Neuroimaging at the School of Medicine and Population Health.
“Multimodal neuroimaging studies are fundamental to understanding the disease and finding better ways to diagnose it. Our ultimate goal is to use information from these studies to help develop early and differential diagnosis and then targeted interventions and clinical trials in the future” he adds.
MILOS
The Multimodal Imaging in Lewy Body Disorders (MILOS) study examines the damage to brain structure and function associated with dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) through brain imaging techniques, neuropsychological testing and clinical examinations. Cognitive tests will be carried out on all participants to compare memory, attention, visuospatial and other functions.
The study includes patients with established disease and those at the prodromal stages, in which symptoms are not clear enough to differentiate the two conditions. Our study aims to paint a more detailed picture of these conditions than it was ever possible before using PET for amyloid pathology, MRI for structural changes and MEG for functional alterations.
This study is funded by Alzheimer's Research UK and the Lewy Body Society and is carried out in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, the University of Nottingham and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.
AMI
The Alzheimer Metabolic Imaging Study (AMI Study) examines glucose metabolism in the brain of patients with Alzheimer’s. Cognitive impairment is a common problem which can lead to dementia.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. One of the problems in many types of memory impairment is that patients develop problems with how their cells make energy. It is very difficult to look at how brain cells make energy on a single cell basis, because it is difficult to access these cells.
We can however investigate energy production from skin cells on a single cell basis. Recently in Sheffield, we have developed a way of looking at how the brain uses energy by performing brain scans called phosphorous spectroscopy and positron emission tomography magnetic resonance imaging (PET-MRI). The measurement we get from the brain scan is similar to the energy production readings we get when taking measurements from skin cells. For the development of future treatments targeted on energy production, in patients with dementia and cognitive impairment, knowing how the changes in skin cell energy production are related to brain scans that measure energy usage in brain cells would be very useful.
In this study, we would like to ask people with memory problems to have both the phosphorous spectroscopy brain scan and the PET-MRI scan measuring energy metabolism. We will then perform skin biopsy so we can compare the changes we see in skin cell energy usage to the changes we see in brain cell energy usage on brain scans. Finally, as part of this study we may also ask patients to give a sample of blood, or spinal fluid as this will help us to characterise the changes in energy metabolism we see more thoroughly.
This study is funded by the Sheffield NIHR Biomedical Research Centre.
NeurActAmy Study
In brain imaging studies of people living with Alzheimer's disease, it has been shown that neurons are hyperactive.
There is evidence that this hyperactivity may spread some of the proteins that cause Alzheimer's disease around the brain. The study ‘Investigating neuronal hyperactivity as a link between amyloid-β and tau spreading in Alzheimer’s disease’ (NeurActAmy) study is aiming to develop our understanding of how hyperactive neurons can be targeted to stop the spread of the proteins through the brain. The study uses brain imaging studies and combines them with the findings from cell models made from cells taken from the same people.
This study is funded by the Medical Research Council.
Yorkshire's only PET-MRI facility
The Sheffield PET-MRI facility is the UK’s 8th and Yorkshire’s only PET-MRI facility.
It is set in a purpose built state-of-the-art facility that is attached to the existing University of Sheffield MRI unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital.
The Sheffield PET-MRI scanner provides unprecedented views of the inside of the human body by combining the power of both MRI and PET images in a single scan. It helps our scientists and medics to tackle some of the most devastating diseases affecting millions of people.
If you are interested in our dementia research, get in touch at neuroscience@sheffield.ac.uk
