Bru-BRAIN (UZ Brussel) recognised as a European center of expertise by the European Alzheimer’s Disease Consortium (EADC)

Yesterday, Bru-BRAIN, the UZ Brussels center of expertise for patients with memory problems, has been officially recognised as a full member of the European Alzheimer Disease Consortium (EADC) at the Nobel Forum of the Karolinkska Institutet (Stockholm, Sweden). The EADC is a Europe-wide network of specialist centers set up to increase knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease, improve treatment and care, and even prevent it in the future. To be admitted to the EADC, members must demonstrate a tradition of internationally recognised pioneering scientific research into Alzheimer’s disease.

Bru-BRAIN is a cross-disciplinary center for brain and memory, where doctors and other care providers (including (neuro)psychologists and occupational therapists) of the departments of Geriatric Care, Neurology and Psychiatry collaborate to afford people the best possible, patient-tailored care.

More than 200,000 Belgians are estimated to be suffering from cognitive impairments. About 6% develop symptoms at an early age (<65 years), with only 1 in 5 being formally diagnosed. Up to 70% have Alzheimer’s, making this the most common form of cognitive impairments. It is ranked as the 7^th leading cause of death and one of the main causes of disability and dependency among older people globally.

Towards improved treatment

Professor Sebastiaan Engelborghs, Chair of the Neurology Department at UZ Brussel and the founder of Bru-BRAIN explains: "Bru-BRAIN has been recognised as a leading European memory clinic. This will allow us to pool our knowledge and expertise with that of our European colleagues, with a view to improving treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, and hopefully one day being able to cure and prevent it.”

Dr Peggy Papeleu, Manager of Bru-BRAIN, looks forward to the new opportunities arising from this recognition: “Bru-BRAIN is now part of an international consortium, ensuring that we are the first to know about new trends and developments, which will facilitate international (research) collaborations.”

The team has no time to rest on its laurels. Bru-BRAIN meets the need of people with brain diseases that cause cognitive impairments. As a result, the center receives many requests for consultation and rehabilitation trajectories. Scientific research is also powering ahead, with 9 PhD research projects in the framework of Bru-BRAIN and several other research projects currently underway.

Prof. Engelborghs

Dr. Papeleu en prof. Engelborghs

About Bru-BRAIN (Brussels Integrated Center for Brain and Memory)

Bru-BRAIN is a multidisciplinary initiative of the departments of Geriatric Care, Neurology and Psychiatry, led by Professor Sebastiaan Engelborghs (Head of the Neurology Department), Professor Siddhartha Lieten (Head of the Geriatric Care Department) and Professor Nathalie Vanderbruggen (Head of the Psychiatry Department) and Dr Peggy Papeleu (manager Bru-BRAIN).

Doctors and other care providers (including (neuro)psychologists and occupational therapists) pool their knowledge and expertise in this cross-disciplinary centre for brain and memory to afford people the best possible, patient-tailored care. The Bru-BRAIN memory clinic is one of 12 centres in Belgium recognised by the Belgian National Institute for Health Insurance (RIZIV) to offer a personalised rehabilitation programme.

Bru-BRAIN is currently conducting leading-edge scientific research into Alzheimer’s disease and related brain diseases that cause cognitive impairments.