The national research project TAP-dementia has started. In addition, ten organizations in the Netherlands are jointly conducting research into improving the diagnosis of dementia. “With a good diagnosis, patients gain access to appropriate care and treatment,” says Wiesje van der Flier, scientific director of Alzheimercentrum Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC.
A good diagnosis is Timely, Accurate and Personalized, together this is TAP. It research is part of the national dementia strategy and has received more than six million euros from ZonMw from the dementia research programme. The researchers look at the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, but also at other diseases that cause dementia.
Diagnose
It often takes years before it is clear which brain disease causes the dementia. Sometimes no diagnosis is made at all, or it remains unclear which disease caused the dementia. ”With a diagnosis, people can understand what is going on with themselves or their loved ones. And how best to deal with it. A diagnosis can also help in organizing care, for example day treatment,” says Van der Flier. In addition, establishing a good diagnosis is the starting point for developing better treatments and medicines in the future.
Involve patients
People with dementia and their families have an important role in the research. As a result of the research, diagnostics should better match the wishes and needs of patients and relatives in the future. The researchers are evaluating promising tests for different forms of dementia in practice. New tests are also being developed to refine the diagnosis.
