UK Funders, including Alzheimer’s Society, have united with 15 countries across Europe, Australia and Canada to support international research collaborations into diseases of the brain, including those that cause dementia.

The latest joint programme, Neurodegenerative Disease (JPND) funding awards represent a €17.5m (approximately £15.75m) investment over the next three years.

James Pickett, head of research at Alzheimer’s Society, who led the UK funding of the initiative, said: “One person develops dementia every three seconds across the world. Dementia is a global problem, and we need global collaboration to defeat it.

“Our finding supports research in the UK, but we know the reach of our work is far wider. Sharing findings internationally and setting up collaborations around the world makes research funding go further and allows researchers to be a part of cutting-edge dementia research.

“Alzheimer’s Society is committed to spend at least £150m on dementia research in the next decade and, as the only UK charity funding research into dementia care, cure and prevention, we are delighted to include the Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease as part of our research portfolio.”