Medical Award to Alzheimer's Disease Research

Jan 2, 2009

Pohjola Insurance's and Suomi Mutual's 29th joint Medical Award, worth EUR 20,000, will in 2009 go to Neurology Professor Hilkka Soininen for her distinguished and long-term work to find causes of and treatments to dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Professor Hilkka Soininen has been widely involved in research in the development of memory disorder prevention, treatment and diagnostics. She is Professor at the University of Kuopio, which has in recent years focused particularly in research on Alzheimer's. Her extensive research is translational, which means that any findings in the mechanisms of the disease will be moved, if possible, to practical diagnostics and treatment applications to help patients.

Exercise and a healthy diet can also prevent dementia

Ms Soininen wants to focus on the prevention of memory disorders through life style choices - exercise and a healthy diet. For example, medication for the treatment of Alzheimer's has been available only a little over a decade, and although drug research is ongoing, we cannot cure dementia, only perhaps slow it down and make the patient feel better.

In the latest research project participated in by Hilkka Soininen and her team, the effect of better counselling, among other things, is studied in terms of memory loss. A project called FINGER, beginning this year, puts the main focus in terms of counselling on nutrition, exercise, social and mental activity and close monitoring and reduction of cardiovascular risks. Addressing several known risk factors at the same time is believed to have beneficial effects on memory functions and to delay the possible onset of dementia considerably. This is the first study of its kind in the world.

Number of demented people rising sharply

The prevention of memory disorders and devising treatments for them is very important not only for those affected but also in terms of costs, as the number of demented people is rising sharply as the population is becoming older. The figures are expected to increase fourfold by 2050. There are already 120,000 patients with dementia in Finland, with half of them diagnosed with Alzheimer's and another 13,000 diagnoses being made annually.

Pohjola Insurance's and Suomi Mutual's Medical Award is given by the Finnish Medical Foundation. Professor Soininen will receive the award from Markku Vesterinen of Suomi Mutual and Jorma Rämö  of Pohjola Insurance at the Finnish Medical Convention on 5 January 2009. She will give a speech titled "Can Alzheimer's be prevented" at the event.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Professor Hilkka Soininen, Kuopio University Hospital, tel. +358 17 173 012 or +358 40 573 5749 or email hilkka.soininen @ uku.fi

Chief physician Matti Karjalainen, Pohjola Insurance, tel. +358 10 25 32265 or email matti.karjalainen @ pohjola.fi