In the biggest initiative of its kind, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) will establish a Centre for Brain Research, having received a grant of Rs. 225 crore for the project from Pratiksha Trust for 10 years.
The Centre will specifically aim to find cure for neurodegenerative conditions accelerated by old age, the IISc said in a press release on Thursday.
Diseases such as dementia receive little attention although they are widespread, are devastating for patients and extremely challenging for families and caregivers, Centre for Neuroscience chairperson Vijayalakshmi Ravindranath told The Hindu .
“Neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia are only going to rise with increase in life expectancy. We need to look at risk factors and ways to help protect the brain better. Diabetes, for instance, has been linked to dementia. Given the diversity of India’s population and the complexity of these diseases, the scope for research is enormous,” Prof. Ravindranath said.
Kris Gopalakrishnan, trustee of the Pratiksha Trust, said: “ we are working towards creating a globally recognised, world-class research facility that will be at the cutting-edge of research on the human brain.”
