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| CSIRO | SOLVE | Issue 9 | NOV 06 | |
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ARTICLES
The technique that has created a selective bug killer may also be used for other targeted chemicals in agriculture
 Full
Story An 'air guitar' shirt developed by CSIRO uses technologies that may
form the basis for new textile industries
Full
StoryThe Light Metals Flagship is working with Rio Tinto to reduce the temperature
– and cost – of aluminium smelting
Full StoryKing Island Dairy had a waste cardboard problem; the island's kelp
kilns faced a fuel shortage. CSIRO found an answer
Full
StoryAustralian-built retro-reflectors will help
NASA chart the Milky Way and look for
new planets
Full StoryThe world's smallest electrical circuits create a material that is
capable of tuning and controlling visible light
Full
StoryResearchers will study 1000 Australians in
a bid to identify early warning signs of the
devastating condition
Full
StoryA nozzle that makes water droplets hollow
promises to cut water usage without
changing the shower experience
Full
StoryGenetic markers may help doctors more
accurately diagnose different types of
brain tumour
Full
StoryCSIRO scientists are examining how
mining companies can cut water use
without compromising efficiency
Full
StoryFood industry logistics are being examined
to see how Australian producers can
become more competitive
Full
StoryOR
DOWNLOAD COMPLETE ISSUE IN
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Hope for a World Without Dementia The dementia epidemic has arrived. There are an estimated 24 million people with dementia worldwide, and by 2040 it is estimated that this number will rise to 81 million. The impact of dementia on public health systems, which is already acute, will become extreme. In recognition of this, the Australian Government has recognised dementia as a National Health Priority; the first government to do so. Worldwide, the direct and indirect cost of dementia is about US$48 billion (A$333 billion). With an increasing number of cases, these costs will rise dramatically. There is a small window of opportunity to find solutions to the dementia epidemic, building on the progress made by medical researchers in the past 25 years. We now know a great deal about the pathology of dementia and that it can develop decades before symptoms show. Evidence from research suggests that the most promising strategies will be based on identifying those most at risk of dementia and developing treatments that may delay its onset. A study by Access Economics has demonstrated that even a five-year delay in the average age of onset would reduce the number of people with dementia by half by 2040. This would result in significant savings to health systems, as well as improvements in quality of life for sufferers and their carers. It is encouraging that much research worldwide is focused on dementia prevention and risk reduction. The Australian Preventative Health Flagship's imaging biomarker and lifestyle aging study is an exciting reminder of the contribution that Australian researchers can make to the international research effort. Australia spends less than 0.4 per cent of the total direct and indirect cost of dementia on dementia research. An annual investment of 1 per cent of the annual cost of dementia – $50 million – would be a small price to pay for the hope of a world without dementia. Glenn Rees
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