An historic opportunity to understand and combat mental decline in older age is underway, supported by a new public appeal - The Disconnected Mind - launched by Help The Aged
The project, called The Disconnected Mind, is the only scientific study of such size and scope, examining the detailed mental development of 1000 participants spanning a 60 year period of their lives.
This extraordinary study is expected to uncover valuable new knowledge in the fight against widespread concerns like memory loss and dementia.
A decade ago two Scottish scientists uncovered the one-off Scottish Mental Survey from 1947 in old archives and immediately realised the value of revisiting its participants, who are all now 71 years old.
The public appeal announced by Help the Aged, called The Disconnected Mind Appeal, has turned this opportunity into a reality.
A diverse team of award winning scientific specialists has been formed at the University of Edinburgh to re-examine 1000 of the original 70,000 participants of the Scottish Mental Survey.
The participants will undergo hi-tech brain scans, DNA tests, lifestyle surveys and many more tests that together will form a detailed picture of 1000 lifetimes of mental ability and often mental decline.
This knowledge will fuel new prevention strategies and even drug treatments to halt the development of conditions like Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.
Help the Aged is reaching out to businesses, public organisations and the public to raise donations totalling £13.5m by the end of the research in 2015, which are needed to enable the team of scientists to make the most of what is a truly one-off opportunity.
There are simply no other known resources presenting the kind of opportunity provided by the Scottish Mental Health Survey.
Professor Ian Deary, professor of differential psychology at Edinburgh University and leader of The Disconnected Mind research, says: "Understanding the ageing mind is one of the greatest challenges facing 21st century science.
"The Disconnected Mind is at the forefront of this effort and its findings may have enormous implications, helping forge a future that is healthier and less clouded by fear of mental decline.
"We are delighted to work in partnership with Help the Aged and thankful for the kind support of our 1000 participants".
Lorna Layward, research manager for the Help the Aged biomedical research into ageing programme, adds: "A shocking 800,000 people in the UK have severe mental decline and this is expected to double by the year 2030.
"The Disconnected Mind could be the public's greatest opportunity to say 'no' to the inevitability of confusion, memory loss and even conditions like dementia that ruin the lives of millions of older people.
"By donating to the Help the Aged Disconnected Mind Appeal, you are supporting perhaps the best chance to transform the experience of older age for all of us".
Four out of five people who experience mild mental impairment go on to develop dementia such as Alzheimer's disease within six years.
This resulting loss of independence ranks highest among people's fears about getting older and the extent of the problem is vast: 800,000 people in the UK are currently diagnosed with severe mental decline, and 18 million worldwide 400,000 people in the UK living with Alzheimer's disease and 90 new people every day being diagnosed with the condition.
The Help the Aged biomedical Research into Ageing programme fights to bring better health and independence to older people through funding leading-edge research.
Now in its 31st year, it has funded numerous breakthroughs including: Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell's (of the University of Manchester) discovery in 2005 of the 'brain killer' molecule IL-1 that is released in stroke and a way to block it.
Dawn Skelton's (of the University of Manchester) development of exercise programmes to prevent falls which were implemented by the Department of Health.
Professor Rose Anne Kenny's (of the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle Upon Tyne) discovery in 2001 that a heart condition called carotid sinus syndrome causes many falls and can be treated to prevent even potentially life-threatening falls in many cases.
