Neurodegeneration 

Neurodegeneration refers to the irreversible damage and death of neurons within the brain and spinal cord. Depending on the specific neurons affected, different diseases can result. The NIHR Sheffield BRC focuses on two of the neurodegenerative diseases as part of this subtheme; Parkinson's disease and Dementia. 

Neuroprotective therapies (treatments that prevent further damage to neurons) are the key priority in all patient surveys for Dementia and Parkinson's disease. Our future research on the prevention of falls, the development of personalised treatments,  and the design of novel monitoring symptoms is closely aligned to the top 10 priorities identified by people with Parkinson’s disease, their families and professionals who work within the field. The Alzheimer's Research UK Moonshot document (2020) and NIHR Dementia call 2021 both highlight the need for new low-cost diagnostic tools, which we are developing in the Sheffield BRC.