The Neuro Enhancement for Independent Lives (NEIL) Programme at Trinity College Dublin is opening a satellite unit in Mallow, which will engage older adults in brain health research.
“We place great importance on building long-term relationships with our research participants inviting them to take part in follow-up assessments on an on-going basis,” said Professor Sabina Brennan (TCD) from the NEIL Programme.
“Our research volunteers are very important to us, because without them we cannot further our understanding of memory and ageing. We really look forward to this new collaboration which will allow us to engage with many more members of the general public”.
Failing cognitive function prevents millions of older adults from living independently.
The goal of the NEIL programme is to enable independent living and improve quality of life by conducting research and developing interventions aimed at dementia prevention.
The research unit at Trinity College was established in 2011 with the purpose of collecting data from 1000 healthy adults over 50 years of age.
“We are delighted to be opening the first satellite study site for the NEIL Memory Research Unit in MPHC,” said Dr Cormac Sheehan of the HSE.
“The main study at TCD is already very successful with over 800 participants. We want to develop ways to help people to protect their memory and other aspects of brain function as they age.
“This study will provide an accurate baseline of the cognitive functions of healthy adults over the age of 50.
“We also hope that this will open exciting opportunities for more research at MPHC and lead to experience and employment opportunities of young graduates of UCC and our other national universities”.