Foodforthebrain.org Has Been Selected by Innovate UK for Groundbreaking Dementia Detection Initiatives in Collaboration with the NHS
FoodForTheBrain.org, the UK’s leading Alzheimer’s prevention charity, has been chosen by Innovate UK to pioneer a groundbreaking test for NHS rollout. This initiative aims to identify dementia risk markers early, enabling preventative measures before it’s too late. While current tests can confirm dementia’s onset, they often fall short in predicting who will develop it in the future, and hence they don’t help a person take steps early enough to prevent dementia. But there’s hope! Research shows there is a lot one can do to help prevent dementia, reducing one’s risk by up to 73%, according to a UK Biobank study of modifiable risk factors.
Foodforthebrain.org’s free online Cognitive Function Test has been taken by over 200,000 people and gives people a clear indication of their risk and how to mitigate it. Crucially, the Cognitive Function Test can differentiate between normal ageing and the patterns of decline associated with an increased future risk of dementia, thus enabling people to take action early enough to prevent this.
The results so far show that average cognitive function and memory decline quite steadily from the age of 18, and more so in men, with women’s rate of cognitive decline accelerating from around age 50, coinciding with the menopause.
As part of the READ-OUT study, led by the University of Oxford and funded through Innovate UK’s Blood Biomarker Challenge, the Cognitive Function Test will now be trialled for NHS memory clinics. The study will also engage people across diverse ethnic and cultural groups, helping to ensure dementia research and prevention strategies are inclusive and relevant for everyone affected by cognitive decline.
Dr Cynthia Bullock, Director, Healthy Lives at Innovate UK, said: “Digital cognitive assessments have the potential to transform how we detect and diagnose dementia, making it faster, more accurate, and accessible to more people. By supporting these projects, we’re not only driving innovation into NHS settings, but also helping reduce long-term care costs and improve outcomes for patients and families across the UK.”
“This project marks a step-change in how we approach dementia,” said Emma George, CEO of the Food for the Brain Foundation. “With Innovate UK’s support, we can validate the Cognitive Function Test within the NHS and move closer to a future where true prevention, by protecting brain health, is routine and accessible to all.”
Take the free Cognitive Function Test today at www.foodforthebrain.org