Alzheimer’s & Dementia

- DGIST Prof. Moon Cheil’s team reports the discovery of two immune cell mechanisms operating within the brain’s olfactory system during the early stages of dementia - Identifies region-specific immune response roles (“tailored firefighters”), paving the way for early diagnosis and personalized treatment - Published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, a leading journal in Alzheimer’s disease research

The older population and those with dementia around the world are facing an unprecedented threat from COVID-19 which threatens them with a higher risk of death when infected. As of 23 August 2020, in Hong Kong, the mortality rate for people aged 60 or above was around 6.27%, which was almost 105 times of those below 60 (0.06%). All deaths from the third wave of COVID-19 in Hong Kong are 60 years old or above. Data from the United Kingdom showed that having dementia was associated with a two-fold increase in the risk of death from COVID-19. In light of this, a dementia team of the Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CU Medicine), initiated an international effort to devise strategies that can reduce the adverse impact which can come from public health interventions and protect them from getting COVID-19.