'The way we think is the core of our being. I want to extend the period of life in which we keep
thinking as we used to so we keep our personalities and our mental skills as good as they always were.'(Professor Ian Deary)

The Disconnected Mind research programme aims to:

determine the risk factors for healthy mental ageing;
define the changes taking place in the brain during mental decline;
provide health advice for preventing mental decline; and
test new treatments to help combat dementia and age related illnesses

We need your donations to make this a reality.

The story behind The Disconnected Mind

Photo of Professor Ian Deary sitting on a chair

In 1947, 70,000 Scottish children took the same intelligence test. The Scottish Mental Survey was the most comprehensive study of its kind ever undertaken and provided a unique and invaluable set of recorded data about the mental ability of an entire cross section of society.

In 1997 Professor Ian Deary and his team began a groundbreaking project to retest this group in older age in an effort to provide the crucial missing scientific component for research into age-related cognitive decline and generate the life indicators which could allow us all to live a healthy active old age.

The team explain more about the project

Professor Ian Deary

Professor Ian Deary is Professor of Differential Psychology at Edinburgh University and leader of The Disconnected Mind project. Here he explains why the Scottish Mental Survey presents a once in a lifetime opportunity for his groundbreaking research.

Sheila Fletcher

Sheila Fletcher is a volunteer in The Disconnected Mind test group. Here she explains why she became involved with the project and her hopes for its outcome.

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