Published: 28 May 2025
By Care Innovation Summit
With a wealth of experience in old age psychiatry and neuropsychology, Professor Vanessa Raymont is at the forefront of memory research and dementia care. In this interview, she explores what’s on the horizon for memory treatment, how risk factors can be better managed, and why emerging research could transform both diagnosis and care. Vanessa will be speaking at the Care Innovation Summit on 19 June at the Business Design Centre, where she will delve deeper into the real-world implications of these advances for people living with memory disorders and those who support them.
What led you to focus on memory research, especially in connection to dementia?
Vanessa: So I trained in old age psychiatry in London, and I actually finished my training about 30 years ago now. I trained in what’s called general adult psychiatry and old age psychiatry. At the time, I was fairly open-minded about what I would do in my last couple of years of training. I did a master’s degree in neuropsychology, which is very much focused on how we test memory disorders, and that really interested me and got me very enthused about memory problems – what could cause those, and how we could manage them.
Then, after I finished my training, I went to work in America for a few years. I did research in the States, and the first study that I worked on was a study of Vietnam Veterans that had head injuries. As a result, some of them were developing memory problems, and that really reinforced for me that this was a very important area, but also a very broad area in terms of the types of people and backgrounds who could get memory problems.
When I came back to the UK, I started doing more research into memory problems specifically and working in that area. So, I think really it was that combination. And then sadly, both of my parents have dementia, and that’s also driven me to continue in this area and hopefully find new treatments and new ways of supporting people in such a huge area of need.
What will you be covering in your session on memory and new treatments?
Vanessa: So, some of the issues around some of the new drugs, for instance, that have been approved, is that while they show some benefit to people with memory problems, it is a very small benefit. We’re not at the point where they reverse memory problems or even stop them entirely, but they seem to slow down the progression. A lot of the discussion is around whether these drugs should be available and how they should be available. I’ll be talking a little bit about the new treatments that are being researched at the moment, and also the new treatments that have currently been approved in the UK – even though they’re not yet available on the NHS – and how we may be able to develop new tests to identify people who will benefit from future treatment.
So, very much: what’s coming, what’s there already, and what’s in the pipeline. But also, what will this mean for our memory clinic services and real people on the ground? Because we know that with some of these treatments, not everybody can access them or be eligible for them straight away. So how is this going to affect day-to-day support and day-to-day care for people living with memory disorders and their families now?
How is research helping us understand how to protect memory and delay memory loss?
Vanessa: Over the last few years, researchers have given us a lot of information about how we could delay – or possibly even ultimately prevent – some memory problems that can lead to dementia. There’s been a big piece of research that’s been reviewed over the last few years, looking at risk factors for memory problems progressing. We now know through that research that 45% of dementia cases could be prevented if we just manage certain risk factors better – that’s a huge piece of information.
We’re also working hard in research to identify new tests to diagnose the causes of memory problems more accurately. Because obviously, if we’re developing new drugs – and there are a lot of new drugs under development at the moment – but also if we know how to manage risk factors, the more accurately we know what’s causing a memory problem, the more likely we are to be able to make sure those treatments fit what’s needed for each individual, whether it’s a drug or whether it’s “how do I manage my risk factors?”
All of those things have been moving along really quickly over the last few years, and it’s been a really exciting time actually. I think if you look back over the last 30 years, there’s been a lot of research going on, but it hasn’t always been very successful.
We’re now at the point where we have blood tests that could help us diagnose causes of dementia. We’ve got new treatments that could delay the progression of dementia and memory disorders, and we also know how to manage risk factors for progression. So those three things together mean we could really make a difference again in terms of delaying people’s memory problems – and ultimately, we hope, preventing them in the first place.
What could those developments mean for the daily lives of carers and people living with dementia?
Vanessa: So, some of the issues around some of the new drugs, for instance, that have been approved, is that while they show some benefit to people with memory problems, it is a very small benefit. We’re not at the point where they reverse memory problems or even stop them entirely, but they seem to slow down the progression. A lot of the discussion is around whether these drugs should be available and how they should be available.
To hear more from Vanessa, join us at Care Innovation Summit this June. To find out event information and to book your ticket, head to our website.
