Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel explore the science of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other conditions that cause dementia.

More than 55 million people around the world are living with dementia, with the number set to rise in ageing populations. How close are we to effective, affordable treatments?  What are the genetic risks? Can we prevent it developing?

The panel takes a deep dive into dementia research and where it’s headed, from early detection to the latest drug trials and whether diet, exercise or even doing puzzles like Sudoku really make a difference.

Panellists
Bart de Strooper – Professor and Group Leader, Cellular Phase of Alzheimer’s Disease Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute and UK Dementia Research Institute
Julie Williams – Professor and Group Leader, Cardiff University and UK Dementia Research Institute
Rory Cellan-Jones – Health and technology writer and presenter of the Movers and Shakers podcast
Sonia Gandhi – Professor of Neurology, UCL, Assistant Research Director, Francis Crick Institute and Consultant Neurologist, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

Watch the video version of this episode and read a transcript on our website: www.crick.ac.uk/podcast/ageingbrain

A BBC Studios Production for the Francis Crick Institute. 

Music by John Biddle

© BBC Studios / Francis Crick Institute 2025

Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel explore the science of Alzheimer&rsquo;s, Parkinson&rsquo;s and other conditions that cause dementia.
More than 55 million people around the world are living with dementia, with the number set to rise in ageing populations. How close are we to effective, affordable treatments?&nbsp; What are the genetic risks? Can we prevent it developing?
The panel takes a deep dive into dementia research and where it&rsquo;s headed, from early detection to the latest drug trials and whether diet, exercise or even doing puzzles like Sudoku really make a difference.
Panellists
<ul>
<li>Bart de Strooper &ndash; Professor and Group Leader, Cellular Phase of Alzheimer&rsquo;s Disease Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute and UK Dementia Research Institute</li>
<li>Julie Williams &ndash; Professor and Group Leader, Cardiff University and UK Dementia Research Institute</li>
<li>Rory Cellan-Jones &ndash; Health and technology writer and presenter of the Movers and Shakers podcast</li>
<li>Sonia Gandhi &ndash; Professor of Neurology, UCL, Assistant Research Director, Francis Crick Institute and Consultant Neurologist, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery</li>
</ul>
Watch the video version of this episode and read a transcript on our website: <a href="https://www.crick.ac.uk/podcast/ageingbrain">www.crick.ac.uk/podcast/ageingbrain</a>
A BBC Studios Production for the Francis Crick Institute.&nbsp;
Music by John Biddle
&copy; BBC Studios / Francis Crick Institute 2025

Science you can trust. Questions that matter.  

Join Professor Brian Cox and a panel of the world’s top scientists and experts as they tackle your questions about some of the biggest science challenges facing society today. 

Can we cure cancer? How do you separate nutrition fact from fiction? What do climate change and the march of AI mean for our future? Could we live forever? Each episode is recorded in front of a live audience and it’s their questions that drive the debate. 

Hear from the experts who actually know what they’re talking about, including Adam Rutherford, Helen Sharman, George Monbiot, Giles Yeo, Jeanette Winterson, Rory Cellan-Jones, Paul Nurse, Kevin Fong and You, Me and the Big C’s Lauren Mahon.  

With a focus on accuracy, openness, and debate, A Question of Science brings you the latest on what we know, what we don’t, and where science might take us next. 

A BBC Studios production for the Francis Crick Institute, an independent charity and world-leading research lab. 

Science you can trust. Questions that matter.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Join Professor Brian Cox and a panel of the world&rsquo;s top scientists and experts as they tackle your questions about some of the biggest science challenges facing society today.&nbsp;
Can we cure cancer? How do you separate nutrition fact from fiction? What do climate change and the march of AI mean for our future? Could we live forever? Each episode is recorded in front of a live audience and it&rsquo;s their questions that drive the debate.&nbsp;
Hear from the experts who actually know what they&rsquo;re talking about, including Adam Rutherford, Helen Sharman, George Monbiot, Giles Yeo, Jeanette Winterson, Rory Cellan-Jones, Paul Nurse, Kevin Fong and You, Me and the Big C&rsquo;s Lauren Mahon.&nbsp;&nbsp;
With a focus on accuracy, openness, and debate, A Question of Science brings you the latest on what we know, what we don&rsquo;t, and where science might take us next.&nbsp;
A BBC Studios production for the Francis Crick Institute, an independent charity and world-leading research lab.&nbsp;

A Question of Science

Science you can trust. Questions that matter.  

Join Professor Brian Cox and a panel of the world’s top scientists and experts as they tackle your questions about some of the biggest science challenges facing society today. 

Can we cure cancer? How do you separate nutrition fact from fiction? What do climate change and the march of AI mean for our future? Could we live forever? Each episode is recorded in front of a lively audience and it’s their questions that drive the debate. 

Hear from the experts who actually know what they’re talking about, including Adam Rutherford, Helen Sharman, George Monbiot, Giles Yeo, Jeanette Winterson, Rory Cellan-Jones, Paul Nurse, Kevin Fong and You, Me and the Big C’s Lauren Mahon.  

With a focus on accuracy, openness, and debate, A Question of Science brings you the latest on what we know, what we don’t, and where science might take us next. 

A BBC Studios production for the Francis Crick Institute, an independent charity and world-leading research lab. 

Science you can trust. Questions that matter.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Join Professor Brian Cox and a panel of the world&rsquo;s top scientists and experts as they tackle your questions about some of the biggest science challenges facing society today.&nbsp;
Can we cure cancer? How do you separate nutrition fact from fiction? What do climate change and the march of AI mean for our future? Could we live forever? Each episode is recorded in front of a lively audience and it&rsquo;s their questions that drive the debate.&nbsp;
Hear from the experts who actually know what they&rsquo;re talking about, including Adam Rutherford, Helen Sharman, George Monbiot, Giles Yeo, Jeanette Winterson, Rory Cellan-Jones, Paul Nurse, Kevin Fong and You, Me and the Big C&rsquo;s Lauren Mahon.&nbsp;&nbsp;
With a focus on accuracy, openness, and debate, A Question of Science brings you the latest on what we know, what we don&rsquo;t, and where science might take us next.&nbsp;
A BBC Studios production for the Francis Crick Institute, an independent charity and world-leading research lab.&nbsp;