Scientist who lost her husband to early onset dementia at just 51 embarks on a PhD and discovers new way of diagnosing the disease

Helen Beaumont, of the University of Manchester, lost her husband Clive to frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in 1999 (she is pictured with her husband on their wedding day, left, and alone, top right). He was struck down with the disease at the age of 45, when his behaviour became increasingly erratic. Ms Beaumont describes how he lost his children, Alan and Rachel (pictured bottom right with their father) when put in charge of their care on two occasions, and would come back from shopping trips with only ice cream, but it took years for the disease to be diagnosed. After his death, Ms Beaumont carried out research and discovered that people with the disease have more fluid on their brain than people without it. She hopes the discovery could lead to earlier diagnosis, and could pave the way for new drugs and treatments. She said: 'If families could have an explanation for this erratic behaviour much sooner it would be so much easy - for them and their loved ones who are suffering.'

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