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Professor Naji Tabet

Professor Naji Tabet (MSc (Immunology), MSc (Psych), PGCert (Med Ed), MD (Lon), FRCPsych)

Professor, Dementia and Old Age Psychiatry
E: N.Tabet@bsms.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1273 644053

Areas of expertise: Dementia disorders

Research areas: Non-pharmacological and lifestyle interventions in dementia disorders; Quality of life for older people with dementia; Dementia diagnosis, CTIMPs

Other relevant position: Director, Centre for Dementia Studies, Course Leader, MSc Dementia Studies.

Biography

Naji Tabet, Professor in Dementia and Old Age Psychiatry, is the Director of the Centre for Dementia Studies (CDS) and the Course Leader of the MSc Dementia Studies at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. Dr Tabet also leads the Dementia Theme at the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) KSS and the CDS research is closely aligned with ARC KSS Dementia Sub-themes. Prof Tabet is also the Dementia Speciality Co-Lead for NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) KSS.

After obtaining his medical degree, Prof Naji Tabet joined University College London Training Rotational Programme in Psychiatry. As part of the programme he was appointed to an academic Registrar post involved in dementia research and medical students teaching. Following his membership of the Royal College, Naji completed his higher training by specialising in Old Age Psychiatry at the Maudsley Hospital in London where he continued to develop his clinical, research and teaching interests in the field of dementia disorders.

Naji holds a deanery certificate in postgraduate education and a University PGCert in medical education. He also holds a research degree (MD) from Kings College, University of London. Prof Tabet established the Dementia Research Unit at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in 2007 and since then he has led the unit on several important phase II-IV clinical trials trying to advance the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to his research activities, Naji is the Course Leader of the MSc Dementia Studies at the medical school. His academic base is at the Centre for Dementia Studies, Brighton and Sussex Medical School. Clinically, he holds an Honorary Consultant post at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust where he delivers a diagnostic and treatment Memory Assessment Service to Trust patients with memory complaints.

Research

Naji's research interests and expertise are in the field of dementia. His research focus follows a parallel strategy. The first is in fully engaging in the assessment of disease modifying treatments through clinical trials. Naji is the clinical lead of the Dementia Research Unit. Working with multi-national Pharmaceutical companies and National academic colleagues, he has been leading the unit in a series of important clinical trials. It is hoped that such work will eventually help in the introduction of much needed disease modifying treatments to significantly slow down the progression of AD.

The second approach pursued by Naji and team is to investigate the role of non-pharmacological interventions, lifestyles and co-morbid physical illnesses in disease progression. He has been investigating the role of antioxidants, dietary and endogenous, and mechanistic metabolites in Alzheimer’s disease and their interaction with currently available treatments. Further, evidence from epidemiological studies is increasingly supporting a protective role for exercise, diet and social networks in dementia disorders. However, much more is still needed before any of these can be confirmed as therapeutically relevant for patients with dementia. Naji and team are studying, for example, the potential effect of both active exercise and habitual activities, and dietary intake on slowing down of disease progression. The team is also interested in how co-morbid physical illnesses such as hypertension may influence disease presentation and progression.

Teaching

Naji has extensive experience developed over many years in clinical and university-based teaching in the field of dementia. His primary teaching focus is on the education of students, trainees and clinical staff caring for older people with dementia. Increasing knowledge, awareness and care, and improving practice through education is an important step in shaping attitudes and empowering staff in the field of dementia.

Naji carries several educational duties at the medical school, both undergraduate and postgraduate, including being the Course Leader for the MSc Dementia studies. The course is aimed at multidisciplinary staff who are involved in the management of dementia disorders and in the care of people with dementia. The course’s objective is to deliver advanced professional education and understanding of dementia for practitioners working in the field. It very much hoped that course graduates will be the clinical leaders of their field in the future by providing them today with a blend of clinical knowledge and expertise in all aspects of dementia education.

In addition to his course leadership of the MSc Dementia Studies, Naji also teaches and introduces dementia topics to medical students. Improving understanding of dementia disorders at an undergraduate level is an imperative first step in the development of competent doctors caring for older people in general. In addition to dementia teaching, Naji has also been the co-founder of the regional MRCPsych course delivering the required postgraduate education and training to psychiatry trainees.

Selected publications

Farina N, Jernerén F, Turner C, Hart K, Tabet N. Homocysteine concentrations in the cognitive progression of Alzheimer's disease. Exp Gerontol. 2017; 99:146-150.

Itzhaki RF, Tabet N. Herpes simplex encephalitis and Alzheimer's disease: Is there a link? J Neurol Sci. 2017; 380: 20-21.

Lancaster C, Forster S, Tabet N, Rusted J. Putting attention in the spotlight: The influence of APOE genotype on visual search in mid adulthood.Behav Brain Res. 2017; 334: 97-104.

Macedo AC, Balouch S, Tabet N. Is Sleep Disruption a Risk Factor for Alzheimer's Disease? J Alzheimers Dis. 2017; 58(4): 993-1002.

Orgeta V, Tabet N, Nilforooshan R, Howard R. Efficacy of Antidepressants for Depression in Alzheimer's Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Alzheimers Dis. 2017; 58(3): 725-733.

Farina N, Llewellyn D, Isaac MG, Tabet N. Vitamin E for Alzheimer's dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017; 1: CD002854.

Gard PR, Fidalgo S, Lotter I, Richardson C, Farina N, Rusted J, Tabet N. Changes of renin-angiotensin system-related aminopeptidases in early stage Alzheimer's disease. Exp Gerontol. 2017 Mar;89:1-7.

Evans S, Dowell N, Tabet N, King S, Hutton S, Rusted J. Disrupted neural activity patterns to novelty and effort in young adult APOE-e4 carriers performing a subsequent memory task. Brain and Behavior. Brain Behav. 2017; 7(2):e00612.

Lancaster C, Tabet N, Rusted J. The elusive nature of APOE e4 in mid-adulthood: understanding the cognitive profile. Journal of International Neuropsychological Society. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2017; 23: 239-253.

Isaac MG, Isaac MM, Farina N, Tabet N. Knowledge and attitudes towards dementia in adolescent students. J Ment Health 2017; 26: 419-425.

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