Simon Fraser University scientists are embarking upon a new study to discover what makes some people more resilient to brain conditions such as dementia.
With dementia rates on the rise globally, the need for more informed insights into brain health has never been greater.
Researchers hope that the 10-year Brain Resilience Study, which is being led by SFU's Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (INN), will shed light on the biological and social factors that contribute towards a healthy brain.
"Currently, it's almost impossible to predict who is going to stay healthy and who is going to suffer from cognitive impairment," says Brianne Kent, INN associate director and Canada Research Chair in Translational Neuroscience and Dementia.
"You could have an individual who has a genetic risk of dementia or who has lifestyle factors that could increase the risk. But they may not end up getting dementia at all, so what is it that makes them resilient?
"If scientists can better understand the factors that make the brain resilient, then treatments for brain conditions can be more targeted and personalized."
Instead of looking at factors in isolation over a short timeframe, SFU researchers will be looking to build a complete picture of study participants over several years by collecting data on brain structure, cognitive functioning, genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors.
Using SFU's Fir supercomputer, the team will analyze the data to create virtual brain simulations that help identify patterns that may reveal what makes a healthy brain.
A group of 1,000 people from British Columbia will take part in the study with the province's diversity setting the research apart from other studies that tend to focus on less diverse demographics.
"We're really trying to look for diversity in everything that we do because cultural practices make a huge difference in terms of our general health," says Randy McIntosh, INN director and BC Leadership Chair in Neuroscience and Technology Translation Across the Lifespan.
"What we do in our day-to-day lives - cardiovascular health, diet, sleep, exercise - it all affects brain health. So we want to look at the brain in the context of the rest of the body, rather than in isolation."
Analyzing the data requires complex computer modelling, which is where SFU's supercomputer and the Virtual Brain Lifespan Model come in.
By linking brain imaging data, the virtual brain allows researchers to model an individual brain and generate simulated brain activity to test how the brain may respond to certain drugs or treatment, or to show how a person's brain may evolve over time.
"The new SFU supercomputer is a gamechanger in helping us to develop these simulations. Previously it took us a month or two to crunch the data, now we can do it in a half a day or less, it's pretty remarkable," says McIntosh.
"What we're trying to do with virtual brains is put all the different metrics back together and come up with a simulation that is a combination of brain structure and function.
"We can then look at the simulation and see if it can tell us something about whether your brain is on a good path or not, and what things we can do to push the brain in a better direction."
These insights could help clinicians identify early warning signs of dementia and other neurological disorders. It comes as the number of people diagnosed with dementia globally is on the increase, largely due to ageing populations.
According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, an estimated 597,000 people were living with dementia in Canada in 2020. By 2030, it is expected this number will reach close to one million.
The study, which is a collaboration between SFU researchers and the BC Generations Project, has received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Alzheimer Society of Canada.
The SFU team hopes to secure additional funding for the next stage of work, which would look to broaden the research by engaging demographics who do not typically take part in scientific research.
A key aspect of the project, and the INN more broadly, is that the data will be shared openly, enabling researchers and clinicians worldwide to access the dataset to inform brain health research.
- Brain Awareness Week is March 16-22
AVAILABLE EXPERTS
RANDY MCINTOSH, professor, biomedical physiology and kinesiology; INN director and BC Leadership Chair in Neuroscience and Technology Translation Across the Lifespan
BRIANNE KENT, assistant professor, psychology; INN associate director and Canada Research Chair in Translational Neuroscience and Dementia
Contact
SAM SMITH, SFU Communication & Marketing
236.880.3297 | [email protected]
Communications & Marketing | SFU Media Experts Directory
778.782.3210
ABOUT SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
SFU is a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Over the past 60 years, SFU has been recognized among the top universities worldwide in providing a world-class education and working with communities and partners to develop and share knowledge for deeper understanding and meaningful impact. Committed to excellence in everything we do, SFU fosters innovation to address global challenges and continues to build a welcoming, inclusive community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. With campuses in British Columbia's three largest cities-Burnaby, Surrey and Vancouver-SFU has ten faculties that deliver 368 undergraduate degree programs and 149 graduate degree programs for more than 37,000 students each year. The university boasts more than 200,000 alumni residing in 145+ countries.
