Health

UITH Experts Begins Intensive Research on Alzheimer’s Disease

By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal

Experts at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) have commenced intensive research on Alzheimer’s Disease.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme is under the
African Dementia Consortium (AfDC).

The project is entitled: “Recruitment and Retention for Alzheimer’s Disease Diversity Genetic Cohorts in the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project Consortia (ADSP)”.

One of the experts, a prominent researcher in UITH, Prof. Kolawole Wahab, of the Department of Medicine, has researched various diseases including Stroke and delivered the paper in his Inaugural Lecture entitled: “In the Quest for a Masterstroke for Stroke

Speaking on the project at a meeting organized for Community Advisory Board members and the Research Team in Ilorin, Wahab explained that the project is an international study on Alzheimer’s Disease”.

According to him, Nigeria is one of the country of research where extensive research would be carried out in various cities including Ibadan, Lagos, Zaria, Ilorin and Abeokuta among others.

Wahab described Alzheimer’s disease as a brain disorder that gets worse over time.

According to him, the disease is characterized by changes in the brain that lead to deposits of certain proteins.

He said: “Alzheimer’s disease causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to eventually die. It is the most common cause of dementia, which causes a gradual decline in memory, thinking, behaviour and social skills”.

The expert lamented that these changes affect a person’s ability to function.

Wahab pointed out that the disease is a huge burden in Africa especially in Nigeria, coupled with the fact that there are no data to show the exact number of sufferers.

“It’s a common degenerative disorder, one can lose cells in the brain and we see them in the community.

“We are, however,  not seeing cases because of the different interpretation given to the disease and fear of stigmatisation,” he said.

He explained that it is a disease common with the aged population, as their brain is degenerating and unable to handle information.

The expert who teaches in the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences of the University of Ilorin underscored the need for building capacity to get more data on the disease in Africa, most especially in Nigeria.

Similarly, the expert disclosed that a corresponding research is also taking place in the United States, to study Alzheimer’s disease in Latino and African-American populations.

“This information will then be compared with those collated in Africa and see differences in manifestation. There is a need to look and find if there is a genetic disposition.

“The data that is realised will help to find a cure for the disease and see ways of personalising medication early in life. l,” he said.

Also speaking, Prof Uthman Mubashir, the Community Engagement Coordinator of the programme explained that the role of the community advisory board is to assist the team in building community trust for participation in the research.

According to him, they are also expected to create community awareness, facilitate community outreaches and also assist in public relations purposes among others.

Mubashir who is a Public Health expert in the UITH emphasized the importance of the programme, adding that data collated from various subjects committed to the research will be beneficial to humanity. (NAN)

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