More than 180,000 new cases of dementia are diagnosed in England and Wales each year, according to the Alzheimer's Research Trust.

More than half a million people in the UK have Alzheimer's disease and the charity predicts the figure will double within 20 years.

At its annual conference in Manchester, the trust will today call for extra Government funding for research into Alzheimer's disease.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "In September we announced a £20m initiative to speed up the development of new medical treatments for dementia and neuro-degenerative disease.

"A team from University College London and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne is coordinating a network of NHS staff and resources across the country to expand the number and range of clinical trials of medical treatments for neuro-degenerative diseases including Alzheimer's.