A new research titled ‘The Drake IPV Study’ – led by the University of Glasgow in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, and funded by The Drake Foundation is set to begin to investigate the lifelong consequences of domestic violence on brain health. It will examine individuals exposed to domestic abuse, many of whom currently report a history of traumatic brain injury.
The research is being helmed by Professor Willie Stewart, who leads multiple collaborative research programmes exploring outcomes from traumatic brain injury – recognises the growing awareness of the association between brain injury and increased risk of neurodegenerative disease, including dementia.
Domestic abuse – or intimate partner violence – is common, with global estimates suggesting approximately 30% of women over age 15 years will have been exposed to physical or sexual intimate partner violence. However, there remains a lack of research on this issue, in particular the long-term consequences for those affected.
The Drake IPV Study will access unrivalled datasets from the internationally regarded ‘PREVENT Dementia Programme’ led by Professor Craig Ritchie from the University of Edinburgh.
The researchers will look for any neuroimaging changes in the brains of individuals with a history of domestic abuse, as well as any changes that correlate with measures of exposure to traumatic brain injury, and compare these to population controls with no reported history of abuse.
Lauren Pulling, Drake Foundation’s CEO, said: “The Drake Foundation is proud to be funding this new study into this largely under-researched area. With 30% of women globally estimated to be exposed to IPV at some point in their lives, this is a critical area of research. We hope that the Drake IPV Study will not only advance our knowledge of brain health in both IPV survivors and the general population but also help to reduce the stigma around domestic abuse by bringing it into the open.”
