# Prof Tara Spires-Jones

Fellow, Academy of Medical Sciences

Tara is a Fellow at the Academy of Medical Sciences, professor of neurodegeneration at the University of Edinburgh and one of the UK’s outstanding dementia researchers.

Her work focuses on mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease.

Her first important discovery is that soluble forms of amyloid beta and tau both accumulate within synapses where they contribute to degeneration and cognitive decline.

The second major finding relates to the spread of tau pathology through the brain in AD which correlates strongly with cognitive symptoms.

Tara has also made important discoveries linking two genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease to synaptic degeneration and has contributed to understanding of synapse degeneration in dementia with Lewy bodies, motorneurone disease, and schizophrenia.

Profile: https://experts.pressassociation.com/expert/185

Photo: https://expert-hub-media.pamedia.io/experthub/profile/profile-pBc413WGUeTa7fWzCQJGdY.jpeg?w=1200&dpr=2

## Views

- [‘Landmark’ study to see blood test for Alzheimer’s offered by GPs](https://experts.pressassociation.com/expert/185/views/a461b2888a280a29)
- [Alzheimer’s drugs ‘make no meaningful difference to patients’, say researchers](https://experts.pressassociation.com/expert/185/views/d404a33e32f77891)