Vitamin B12 deficiency, memory loss

Medical research into the impact of low Vitamin B12 levels is among six new dementia research grants announced today by federal minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek, and Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler.

Vitamin B12, commonly found in seafood like oysters, has a key role in normal brain functioning and University of Wollongong Professor Brett Garner will receive $429,011 to investigate how a lack of Vitamin B12 contributes to age-related memory loss, reasoning and decision making.

In Victoria, two grants have been allocated to the University of Melbourne. Professor Roberto Cappai will receive $551,222 to determine the specific type of protein that may be toxic to brain cells and Professor David Scott will receive $670,949 to determine the impact of anaesthesia and surgery in patients with mild age-related memory loss, reasoning and decision making.

Dr Brett Collins and colleagues from The University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) and Queensland Brain Institute will receive $456,787 to investigate potential new drug targets for Alzheimer’s treatment.

In WA, Edith Cowan University’s Dr Giuseppe Verdile will receive $536,949 to investigate proteins that cause early onset Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most common forms of dementia.

University of Tasmania Professor David Small will receive $390,758 to investigate the way new drugs can ‘block’ the build up of toxicity in the brain protein that causes Alzheimer’s disease.

“Dementia is likely to affect 900,000 Australians by 2050 and I’m proud that Australia is acting now in a whole range of areas like research, awareness and better services,” Minister Plibersek said.

Minister Butler added dementia had achieved national prominence this decade and it was important that we continued to support Australian research

“We’ve made dementia a national priority area this year and that’s supported with research funding, including these grants through the National Health and Medical Research Council,” he said.

“Earlier this year, the government also established a new $25 million NHMRC Partnership Centre on Cognitive Decline.

“This work complements the federal government’s ‘Living Longer Living Better’ aged care reform package that is providing $3.7 billion over five years from 2012, including more support for people with dementia.”