Clinical Neuropsychology: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

The world’s population is aging at a dramatic rate. The number of persons aged 60 or above is expected to more than double by 2050 and more than triple by 2100. As a result, the proportion of humans with age-related cognitive decline will literally ‘explode’, creating a massive financial and productivity burden that could be catastrophic to global economies. Whilst the underlying mechanisms, aetiology in precipitating such decline are poorly understood, there are a subset of patients who respond favorably to a neurosurgical intervention that shunts cerebrospinal fluid from the brain into the abdomen. In this talk we will look at some of the theories behind how this condition develops, current techniques to treat it and potential future therapeutic directions that may have applications across the whole spectrum of cognitive disorders in the elderly.

Biography

James Montgomery Barber has obtained his MBBS from University College London in 1999. He has been working in Neurosurgery since 2005, having been a Consultant in The Royal London Hospital for the past two years. His main areas of practice are neurotrauma, neuromodulation, complex CSF-flow disorders and craniofacial reconstruction. He has published the first case series in the UK of the implantation of a wireless intracranial pressure monitor.

E-mail: jamesmbarber@doctors.org.uk