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14 Headlines DEMENTIA FEATURE On the trail of EARLY SIGNS OF DEMENTIA D r Ryan’s work began at the University of Otago with a PhD to investigate memory in rats. However, she was soon keen to switch to studying human tissue and headed to Auckland, the only centre with a human brain bank. Back in 2006 a woman had donated her brain to the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank, knowing that dementia ran in her family but not knowing why. The woman’s brain was examined, and a genetic link was confirmed. Dr Ryan arrived at the Centre for Brain Research in 2015 and set about establishing a study of the family to identify early biomarkers of dementia. This study is now known as the New Zealand Genetic Frontotemporal Dementia Study (FTDGeNZ). Some family members preferred not to take part while others wanted to understand more but not be tested. Over the next two years, 26 family members agreed to be involved directly, along with others who would give their perspective on symptoms experienced by those in the project. Dr Ryan could also access genetic information from the family tree, which meant she had data on 60 people from a single family. As part of the study, participants agreed to annual testing from the age of 25 – decades before symptoms of dementia are expected. It starts with a blood test to see if they have the mutation. Like many of us, Dr Brigid Ryan has experienced a grandparent developing dementia. She dreams of helping other families as they navigate a loved one’s loss of memory and independence.