Pillar 2

Neurodegeneration research
in the context of cognitive impairment

Prof. MUDr. Irena Rektorová, Ph.D., FEAN

Prof. MUDr. Irena Rektorová, Ph.D., is one of the leading Czech experts on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. She is based at Masaryk University in Brno and works closely with clinical departments where she links clinical practice with advanced research.

Her scientific work focuses on early diagnosis of dementia, development and validation of biomarkers and implementation of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in clinical care. She is actively involved in national and international projects and clinical trials and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration between research, clinicians and patient organisations.

The pathology of dementia appears in the brain even 20 years before that,

before the symptoms appear.

Main objectives

Mise

Posílit výzkum a klinickou praxi v oblasti Alzheimerovy nemoci a dalších typů demencí s cílem zlepšit kvalitu života pacientů a jejich rodin.

Vize

Včasná a přesná diagnostika pomocí biomarkerů, moderních zobrazovacích metod a genetických faktorů. Rozvoj prevence prostřednictvím podpory kognitivní rezervy a zdravého životního stylu.

Cíle

Cílem je zlepšit včasnou diagnostiku Alzheimerovy nemoci a dalších demencí, posilovat prevenci a kognitivní rezervu a podporovat systémová opatření v souladu s Národním akčním plánem.

What you should know

about Alzheimer’s disease

over 50 million

people in the world are living with Alzheimer’s disease

60-75% of all dementias

form Alzheimer’s disease

183 thousand people

aged 60 and over with dementia were living in the Czech Republic in 2024

72% of cases

are diagnosed, tens of thousands of people are living without a diagnosis

21.9.

to commemorate Alzheimer’s Day

every 20 years

predictions speak of a doubling of people with dementia

Pillar 2 research groups

Why we look for a way to detect diseases or the importance of early diagnosis

Researchers in Pillar 2 are focusing on innovative ways to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. They are exploring the possibility of diagnosis from blood plasma and even tears. Why these bodily fluids? Blood plasma and tears are sources full of proteins and genetic material, i.e. biomarkers that can reveal the presence of the disease even before the first symptoms appear.

Today, biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease are mainly detected by amyloid PET screening or cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Our aim is to move the diagnosis closer to routine practice. The idea is to one day be able to obtain reliable results from a simple blood or tear collection in the doctor’s office, or a less invasive and more cost-effective way to diagnosis.

“The pathology of dementia appears in the brain even 20 years before a person shows symptoms,” says Prof. Rektorová. That’s why she and her teams are working to develop spatial memory tests that can catch incipient changes in people for whom current conventional tests would fail. More reliable and accessible diagnostics are key to intervening early.

What is cognitive reserve or how to strengthen the brain to prevent Alzheimer’s disease?

Cognitive reserve is the brain’s ability to resist pathological changes that lead to diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia with Lewy bodies. The good news is that we can actively build this resilience through regular exercise, mental training, social contacts, developing hobbies, eating a healthy diet and limiting smoking and alcohol. In Pillar 2, researchers are exploring how much influence these factors have on preventing neurodegenerative diseases and how they can help delay or mitigate their development.

Patient organisations dedicated to the disease

Czech Alzheimer Society, o.p.s.

CEREBRUM – Association of Persons with Acquired Brain Injury, z. s.

Brain Injury Relief Institute

Union Roska

What has already been done?