Dementia refers to a group of diseases in which the brain deteriorates, leading to a gradual loss of memory, thinking abilities, and eventually the capacity to care for oneself. The prevalence of dementia has increased significantly in recent years and is expected to rise even more rapidly in the decades ahead. This is largely due to increased life expectancy and an ageing population. Without effective prevention or treatment, it is estimated that in 25 years there will be approximately 140 million people living with dementia worldwide, including more than 200,000 in Norway alone.

The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Although the disease may progress differently from person to person, recent research suggests that its onset begins in the same region for everyone: a structure in the brain known as the entorhinal cortex. This area plays a crucial role in our ability to navigate our surroundings and remember when, where, or in what sequence events occurred. This aligns closely with the early symptoms typically seen in Alzheimer’s disease, where memory for time- and place-related information becomes impaired.

But what happens in the brain when someone develops Alzheimer’s disease? The onset of the disease likely involves certain normal proteins beginning to behave abnormally. Specific forms of these proteins accumulate in the neurons of the entorhinal cortex. Two of the central proteins involved in this process are amyloid-beta and tau. These proteins are also present in healthy individuals, where they contribute to complex brain functions, such as communication between neurons. When abnormal versions of these proteins accumulate, they disrupt cellular activity, causing neurons to gradually deteriorate. At the same time, the proteins tend to spread to neighbouring neurons, damaging areas adjacent to the entorhinal cortex. From there, the spread continues, and eventually the harmful proteins may affect nearly the entire brain.

At the Norwegian Health Association Centre for Dementia Research, we draw on expertise on the entorhinal cortex, the memory system, and the brain’s representation of time and space to investigate the fundamental mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Our researchers work with cell cultures as well as healthy and diseased animal and human brain tissue. Basic research on cell cultures and animal brains forms the foundation for subsequent clinical research on patients. This approach is known as translational research, as it “translates” insights from cellular and animal studies into research on the human brain.

Through close collaboration across disciplines, new findings can be rapidly shared between different areas of expertise and quickly put to use. In this way, we move closer to our goal: using scientific knowledge to unravel the mysteries of dementia and pave the way for effective prevention and treatment.