皇家华人

XClose

Dementia Research Centre

Menu

The Brain Behaviour Group (BBG)

Logo for the Brain Behavior Group at 皇家华人 Dementia Research Centre.

Our research group investigates how brain pathology (the spread of abnormal proteins through neural circuits) produces symptoms of abnormal brain function (changes in behaviour) in major dementias - particularly Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, frontotemporal dementia and the primary progressive aphasias. Understanding and measuring how neurodegenerative brain pathology is linked to symptoms will be key to earlier dementia detection, diagnosis, prognosis and ultimately, treatments. We consider ourselves 鈥榙ementia physiologists鈥� - much of our work is concerned with identifying new, dynamic physiological mechanisms and biomarkers of dementia, to span the gap between brain protein markers and measures of brain atrophy and cognitive decline.听

Our core research focus is the processing of complex sounds, such as speech, voices, music and auditory scenes: such sounds are fundamental to daily life functioning, communication and well-being, and make intense processing demands on the brain that sensitively expose the effects of neurodegenerative pathologies. Around this core, we pursue other interconnected research themes in nonverbal (including socio-emotional) cognition, homeostatic (autonomic and sleep) function, cerebral plasticity, neuroaesthetics, clinical staging of primary progressive aphasia and development of cross-linguistic, culture-fair tests of brain hearing and communication function.听

Our vision for this work rests on three broad, inter-related aims:

  • to identify new physiological 鈥榬eadouts鈥� of neurodegenerative protein effects and their real-world functional impact in an individual person living with dementia - including 鈥榩roximity markers鈥� that herald the imminent clinical onset of dementia听
  • to guide the development and targeting of better, more clinically relevant diagnostic tools and treatment strategies
  • to assess rapidly whether treatments are working and to harness the brain鈥檚 residual capacities for adaptation and repair (鈥榩lasticity鈥�)听

All of our work is clinically focused and directly informed by meeting and caring for people living with dementia. Without them, none of our research would be possible 鈥� they work with us, teach us and inspire us.听
听

Follow us on Social Media:

  • X (previously Twitter): @dementiaBBG
  • Instagram:@dementiaBBG
  • Linktree: linktr.ee/dementiabbg

Want to be involved in our research?

For more information about our research, please click here.听
Please contact Lucy Core (lucia.core.21@ucl.ac.uk) and/or Ben Levett (ben.levett.15@ucl.ac.uk).

Collaborations

We collaborate with a number of other research groups at 皇家华人, nationally and internationally, to harness their perspectives and expertise and to build awareness of the importance of dementia among basic scientists. Our collaborators include:

  • , Ear Institute, UCL
  • , UK Dementia Research Institute, UCL
  • , Ear Institute, UCL听
  • , Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
  • , Dementia Research Centre, UCL
  • , Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL and听National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square
  • , Dementia Research Centre, UCL
  • , Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University
  • , Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, UCL
  • Professor Zane Jaunmuktane, Division of Neuropathology, UCL
  • , National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
  • , Dementia Research Centre, UCL
  • , Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London
  • , University of Milan, Italy
  • , Division of Psychiatry, UCL
  • , Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London
  • , Danish Dementia Research Centre, University of Copenhagen
  • , Dementia Research Centre, UCL
  • , University of California Riverside, USA
  • , Dementia Research Centre, UCL
  • , Division of Psychiatry, UCL
  • , Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, UCL
  • , The Thinking Eye
  • Dr Jochum van鈥檛 Hooft, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Netherlands
  • , Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, UCL
  • , Dementia Research Centre, UCL
  • , Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL
Funding
  • Alzheimer鈥檚 Society
  • Alzheimer鈥檚 Research UK
  • Dunhill Medical Trust
  • Royal National Institute for Deaf People
  • National Brain Appeal (Frontotemporal Dementia Studentship in Memory of David Blechner)
  • NIHR
  • NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research Centre
  • UCL Research Excellence Scholarship
  • Wellcome Trust