Abstract

Populations around the world are increasing in age and this is leading to a rise in the incidence of diseases associated with ageing. In particular, the number of people with neurodegenerative disease is placing a burden on families and healthcare systems. Despite many recent failures in developing treatments for dementia there is much hope for the future. New insights from genetics is increasing our understanding of key mechanisms underlying ageing and related diseases. Multiple therapeutic modalities are being evaluated to modulate genes and proteins involved in disease in human cell models. Finally, novel biomarkers and imaging techniques can be utilized to diagnose and stratify patients and to track the progression of disease. In combination these advances are set to alter future treatments for diseases of ageing.