On 14 March, the LETHE project team, in collaboration with the AD-RIDDLE and Pattern-Cog projects, organised a webinar on “How can public involvement support research on dementia risk reduction?” The session brought together researchers and a member of the public to discuss how Public Involvement contributes to research on brain health and dementia risk reduction. Moderated by Cindy Birck (Alzheimer Europe), the session opened with a welcome and introduction.
Ana Diaz (Alzheimer Europe) began with “Involving members of the public in research: what does this mean, why and how?”, outlining the foundations of Public Involvement and the role of people with lived experience in shaping research priorities and design. She was followed by Francesca Mangialasche (Karolinska Institutet), who presented “Dementia risk reduction: how Public Involvement benefits research”, highlighting examples from EU-funded projects such as Lethe and Multi-Memo.
Soraya Moradi Bachiller (Alzheimer Europe) continued with “Involving the public in disclosing the risk for dementia”, addressing the ethical and practical considerations around communication of risk in dementia research. Next, Jeroen Bruinsma (Maastricht University) presented “Joining Forces with the Public: Changing Behaviour for Dementia Risk is ‘Easier Said Than Done’”, reflecting on the importance and challenges of engaging the public in behaviour change research.
The final presentation, “Voices of Experience: Advisory Board Involvement in LETHE”, was delivered by Miriam Pannone, a member of the LETHE Advisory Board, who shared her experience as a public contributor and the personal value of being involved in dementia research. The webinar concluded with a panel discussion and a Q & A with the audience. Speakers also referred to the involvement of members of the European Working Group of People with Dementia (EWGPWD), the European Dementia Carers Working Group (EDCWG) as well as various project advisory boards. The full recording is available at: