This project is investigating how socioeconomic inequality contributes to the heterogeneity of long-term clinical outcomes in patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration disorders and Parkinson's Disease.
Background
Numerous studies have shown a relationship between socioeconomic deprivation and a higher risk of dementia, increased dementia mortality and a younger age at death with dementia. More recent studies have also shown a link between socioeconomic factors and care home admission in dementia (a proxy for functional independence). However, most of this research has focussed on Alzheimer’s disease or dementias in general. There is currently scant research on the effect of socioeconomic inequality on long term outcomes in the neurodegenerative diseases associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration and Parkinson's disease.
Project Aims
The aim of this study is to determine if socioeconomic deprivation predicts long-term clinical outcomes in the neurodegenerative diseases associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration and Parkinson's Disease in population of Cambridgeshire. The project will investigate if deprivation predicts life expectancy, time to care home admission (a proxy for functional independence), and time to dementia.
Project Activity
Analyse existing data from established cohorts of patients living with these disorders in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.
Anticipated or actual outputs
Determining whether socioeconomic deprivation contributes to the variation in outcomes is essential to understanding mechanisms, predicting prognosis and developing effective treatments and interventions for patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration and Parkinson's Disease.
Who is involved?
- Prof James Rowe
- Prof Caroline Williams-Gray
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge
