Maria Eriksdotter, professor of geriatrics at Karolinska Institutet, has been awarded this year's Bengt Winblad Award by the Swedish Society of Medicine. She receives it for her long-standing and outstanding contributions to translational Alzheimer's and dementia research. Behind the award are both pioneering research into new treatments and the development of SveDem, the world's largest quality registry for dementia disorders.
When Maria Eriksdotter receives the news about this year's Bengt Winblad Award, it is recognition of several decades of work to improve the lives of people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
Part of her research has focused on nerve growth factor NGF, a protein that is important for the brain's nerve cells. In a high-profile study, she led a unique cell therapy in which capsules containing cells that released NGF were surgically implanted into the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.
"I was able to show that NGF had positive effects and that NGF is a possible treatment strategy to develop", says Maria Eriksdotter at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society .
Has improved dementia care
Alongside her research, Maria Eriksdotter has established and developed SveDem, the Swedish Registry for Cognitive and Dementia Disorders. The registry now includes more than 150,000 people and is the world's largest quality registry in the field.
"I am proud that the registry has helped improve the quality of dementia care in terms of diagnostics, care, treatment and follow-up throughout the care pathway", she says.
Data from SveDem has also given researchers new knowledge about how other diseases and medicines affect people with dementia. Maria Eriksdotter's own research has shown, among other things, that treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors, the most common medicines for Alzheimer's disease, is linked to slower cognitive decline.
The studies have also shown associations with reduced mortality and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and kidney failure.
"I hope my findings help ensure that cholinesterase inhibitors are used more widely than they are today for Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia", she says.
Happy, proud and honoured
There has not yet been a major celebration, but she is looking forward to the award ceremony on October 20.
"I was thinking of treating my research group to some sparkling wine", says Maria Eriksdotter, and continues:
"It feels fantastic to receive this recognition for both my research and my work to develop SveDem. It means a great deal to me, and I am so happy, proud and honoured".
Next step: new routes to the brain
Despite promising results, surgical treatment with NGF is associated with risks. Maria Eriksdotter is therefore continuing to work on finding new ways to deliver NGF into the brain.
"The next step is to continue developing methods to get NGF into the brain via the nose or across the blood-brain barrier", she says.
She also believes that future treatment of Alzheimer's disease will combine several different medicines that target the disease's different mechanisms.
"In the future, I want to study the effects on cognitive ability of a combination treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors and NGF. It is an exciting next step in the development of future Alzheimer's treatments".
