Latest funding results of the Alzheimer Society Research Program

Care

Care

Dr. Lillian Hung, University of British Columbia 

Co-funded with Brain Canada Foundation

Title: A Pilot Randomized Trial of a Digital App, What Matters to enable Person-Centred Care.

Award/Grant: New Investigator Grant

Person-centred care is vital for dementia patients in hospitals to prevent stress-induced behaviors. My team has developed WhatMatters, an app that allows family members to remotely share reassuring videos, familiar photos and music to comfort patients in hospital. This study assesses the effectiveness of the mobile app,  WhatMatters, in improving quality of life and reducing behaviors. The results will contribute to improving hospital dementia care by preventing unnecessary, risky, and costly behavioural events, such as antipsychotic medications, falls, and injuries —that can severely affect quality of life.

Mr. Kishore Seetharaman, Simon Fraser University

Title: Embedding Dementia-Inclusivity in Built Environment Accessibility at the Municipal Level in Metro Vancouver: A Universal Design Approach Bridging Aging, Disability, and Dementia.

Award/Grant: Postdoctoral Award

The accessibility of streets and outdoor spaces in cities is integral to supporting people living with dementia to participate in their community. Studies show that city planners need to know how to balance the outdoor accessibility needs of people living with dementia with the needs of other population groups. My study compares the outdoor accessibility needs of people living with dementia with the needs of other groups of older adults with disabilities. Literature review, surveys with researchers and city planners, and focus groups with people with lived experience will be conducted to compare population-specific accessibility needs and solutions. Discussions will be conducted with various stakeholders in Metro Vancouver to explore how the findings can support municipal and provincial initiatives on accessibility. The study is intended to build city planners’ capacity to implement strategies for supportive and accessible neighbourhood spaces that enhance the health and wellbeing of people living with dementia.

Dr. Heather Campbell-Enns, Canadian Mennonite University

Co-funded by Research Manitoba

Title: A Pilot Study of Ethnocultural Approaches to Family-Provided Dementia Care.

Award/Grant: New Investigator Grant

The intergenerational family plays a crucial role in providing essential care for persons living with dementia and, despite the substantial involvement of adult children and grandchildren, intergenerational care remains understudied. Additionally, studying caregiving from cultural perspectives is also needed since caregiving is influenced by cultural knowledge, preferences, and resources. This study seeks to develop a better understanding of intergenerational family caregiving across immigrant cultural groups; it will test how feasible and acceptable it is to use multiple research methods to study intergenerational family care experiences, such as family group interviews. Family members will also be invited to collaborate to create digital stories about their caregiving experiences from their cultural perspective. This research will identify themes of importance for intergenerational family caregivers from multiple cultural perspectives, share dementia care stories, and develop a better understanding of how suitable multiple research methods are to examine dementia care from cultural perspectives.

Dr. Glen Hougan, NSCAD University

Co-funded by Brain Canada Foundation

Title: In-Home Dementia-Centred DIY Adaptations and Innovations.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant  

This project explores how people living with dementia and their caregivers create clever do-it-yourself (DIY) solutions to make everyday tasks at home easier and safer. By collecting and analyzing these homegrown innovations, the project will then have these DIY innovators work with student and professional designers and engineers, who will help them turn their ideas into practical solutions that others can use safely. This project puts the voices and ideas of people living with dementia and their caregivers at the center of the development and management of their innovative solutions, recognizing their creativity and valuable insights.

Miss Niousha Alizadehsaravi, University of Waterloo

Title: Educational initiatives around comfort-focused nutritional care in long-term care homes.

Award/Grant: Doctoral Award

As older adults living in long-term care (LTC) homes decline towards end-of-life, their experience of food and fluid often changes. LTC homes are increasingly adopting a palliative care philosophy, which focuses on comfort and quality of life. However, there is no clear standard for providing palliative nutrition care. Many team members also lack the training and resources to support residents and their care partners through these changes. This study aims to co-design an educational material with LTC team members and care partners to foster positive changes in attitudes and practices regarding palliative nutrition care for LTC residents with dementia. The anticipated results of this study will be an intervention that can improve nutrition care for LTC residents with dementia in the later stages of the disease, where compassionate care is essential.

Ms. Darly Dash, Sinai Health System 

Title: The caregiver experience: Examining the impacts of family caregiving for persons living with dementia.

Award/Grant: Postdoctoral Award

Over 600,000 Canadians live with dementia, and most are cared for at home by unpaid family members, mostly women, who often face physical, emotional, and social challenges. This project aims to understand the experiences and challenges of these caregivers. In partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Canada, we will conduct a national survey to explore who caregivers are, the impacts of caregiving, and their access to health and social services. A smaller group will participate in focus groups to map their care journeys and identify key areas for support. Using both numbers (quantitative) and personal stories (qualitative), this mixed-methods study will incorporate sex, gender, and cultural analysis to reflect the diversity of caregivers across Canada. Our findings will help design targeted supports and inform future policy to improve caregiver well-being and the quality of care they provide, to address the specific needs of this essential, yet often overlooked, group.

Dr. Jennifer Watt, Unity Health Toronto

 Co-funded by Brain Canada Foundation

Title: Ensuring equitable access to inpatient rehabilitation for people living with dementia: An effectiveness-implementation randomized trial.

Award/Grant: New Investigator Grant

One in five older adults with dementia is hospitalized each year. One in three hospitalized older adults will lose independence in transferring, eating, ambulating, dressing, or bathing, which increases nursing home admission risk; this risk is 36% greater in people living with dementia (PLWD). Rehabilitation could decrease this risk, but PLWD get excluded from rehabilitation because of dementia-related stigma. There are no high-quality studies to refute these beliefs, which perpetuates exclusion of PLWD from rehabilitation. To fill this critical knowledge gap, we will conduct the highest quality of study, where PLWD will be randomly assigned to receive rehabilitation services at an inpatient rehabilitation hospital or usual treatment in the hospital. We will test how rehabilitation services provided at an inpatient rehabilitation hospital can improve outcomes for PLWD and the healthcare system. Our results could guide healthcare providers on how to provide PLWD with rehabilitation services at an inpatient rehabilitation hospital.

Dr. Samantha Biglieri, Toronto Metropolitan University Research Institute for Aging

Co-funded by Brain Canada Foundation

Title: Neighbourhood Wellbeing and Dementia.

Award/Grant: New Investigator Grant

Most people living with dementia (PLWD) live in community supported by informal care partners. Continued access to community is a human right, and linked to better physical, mental, and social health. We aim to improve neighbourhoods for PLWD and care partners from a planning perspective, examining wayfinding, infrastructure availability and access, and health/social services. We will do research in small, mid-sized, and large Canadian municipalities examining differences between them, recruiting 5 PLWD/care partner pairs and a 'control' older adult living in their neighbourhood. Collecting data using go-along interviews, sketch/social network mapping, travel diaries/GPS tracking every 6 months for 2 years while tracking individual-related changes, we will then use our findings in a co-design workshop with each municipality to make their existing planning policies more accessible. Each workshop will include people with lived experience, planners, urban designers, municipal staff, and our Advisory Committee. We will create and adapt this process together – increasing PLWD’s access to the planning processes that shape our communities.

Dr. Julie Kosteniuk, University of Saskatchewan

 Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Title: Adapting and Evaluating a Rural Home-Based Virtual Primary Care Memory Clinic Model.

Award/Grant: New Investigator Grant

In-home virtual dementia care has been shown to address barriers to clinic-based visits, including travel, mobility limitations, and behavioural changes. However, rural older adults who do not have in-person support may face obstacles to this type of care. This study aims to increase access to dementia diagnosis and post-diagnostic support for rural persons by adapting an established in-person primary care memory clinic model to a home-based virtual model. In-person technical support will be provided. Acceptability and effectiveness of the model will be improved based on feedback from patients, caregivers, and memory clinic teams. Changes in patient and caregiver outcomes between baseline and follow-up will be evaluated, and team experiences examined. This research may inform ways to increase accessibility to primary care memory clinics and reduce travel for people living in rural areas. 

Cause

Cause

Dr. Ina Anreiter, University of Toronto

Co-funded with Brain Canada Foundation

 

Title: The role of RNA modifications in protein homeostasis, sleep, and memory in the aging brain.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias often cause problems with sleep, memory, and overall brain health, but the reasons why are not fully understood. Recent research suggests that a molecule called m6A, which helps control how genes work in the brain, may play a key role in these problems. Our project will use fruit flies, which share many important genetic features with humans, to study how m6A affects sleep, memory, and brain cell health as the brain ages. By adjusting the levels of m6A in specific brain circuits, we hope to discover whether this molecule can help prevent or reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The insights gained could lead to new ways to treat or manage dementia, potentially improving memory, sleep, and quality of life for people affected by these conditions.

Dr. Olga Rojas, University Health Network-Krembil Research Institute 

Co-funded with Brain Canada Foundation

  

Title: Evaluating the role of intestinal inflammation in Alzheimer's Disease.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

Recent findings suggest that the gut and brain are closely connected, and this link may be important in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Helpful products made by gut bacteria can modulate brain function. When gut bacteria is out of balance due to intestinal inflammation, in diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, for example, wrong signals can be sent to the brain. Recent human studies have suggested a link between inflammatory bowel disease and AD, but very little is known about their possible mechanisms. To this end, the current research proposal aims to develop a preclinical mouse model of intestinal inflammation and Amyloid Beta pathology. Combining these two models together provide us with an opportunity to ascertain the potential intersection between intestinal inflammation and brain Amyloid beta pathology. Collectively, the research goal is to understand how intestinal inflammation impacts Alzheimer’s Disease progression and modulates brain inflammation and will provide insights into the mechanisms for how this may occur.

Mr. Ryan Hallam, Robarts Research Institute

Title: Investigating the role of lysosomal dysfunction in the transport, internalization, and aggregation of Aβ and Tau in stem cell derived human neurons using high resolution live imaging.

Award/Grant: Postdoctoral Award

The buildup of 2 different proteins, amyloid-beta and Tau, inside and between brain cells are major hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. These proteins are typically broken down inside of specialized cellular compartments called lysosomes before they clump together (aggregate), allowing the cell to reuse the pieces. However, lysosomes stop working properly in Alzheimer’s disease, and we don’t fully understand why.
This study seeks to improve our understanding of lysosome function and failure in Alzheimer’s disease using cells from adult donors that we can reprogram to become fully functional human brain cells in a dish. Using high-powered microscopes, I will examine how aggregates of amyloid-beta and Tau inside lysosomes move within and between these brain cells, determine how aggregated amyloid-beta and Tau impair the ability of lysosomes to break down proteins, and test new approaches to improve lysosome function and prevent amyloid-beta and Tau from aggregating, promoting their recycling into smaller pieces.

Dr. Jonathan Epp, University of Calgary

Co-funded by Brain Canada Foundation

  

Title: Targeting Neuronal GFAP in Alzheimer's Disease.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) affects many people and leads to memory loss and cognitive decline. It is linked to brain inflammation and changes in proteins like GFAP, which is usually found in support cells called astrocytes. Recent research has discovered that GFAP can also appear in neurons, potentially making these cells more vulnerable to damage. Understanding this abnormal GFAP presence could lead to new treatment options for AD. This study aims to explore why GFAP appears in neurons in Alzheimer’s Disease when it normally should not be present in these cells. We will try to understand its effects on neuron health, and test whether reducing GFAP can improve brain function. We believe that stopping GFAP buildup in neurons could prevent damage and enhance memory and cognition, leading to potential new treatments for AD.

Dr. Veronica Hirsch-Reinshagen, University of British Columbia

Title: Deep histological and pathological phenotyping of sporadic dementia.

Award/Grant: New Investigator Grant

Patients with Alzheimer type dementia most frequently have a combination of neurodegenerative pathologies, called mixed dementia, rather than pure Alzheimer Disease (AD) pathology. Currently, we do not understand completely how different combinations of neurodegenerative pathologies affect the brain and whether different combinations have distinct effects in different people. I will use autopsy brain tissue and advanced multiplex immunohistological and mathematical machine learning methods to identify the effects of different combinations of mixed dementia pathology on the brain tissue. This research will provide unprecedented human tissue detail of different patients with sporadic dementia and different combinations of mixed dementia pathologies. By understanding the differences between patients, we will be able to identify the combined effects of mixed dementia on the brain. This will become particularly important as new therapies targeting the different components of mixed dementia are developed.

Mr. Ryan Ripsman, University of British Columbia Research Centre

  

Title: Finding the Weakest Link: Identifying Cell Subtypes with Alzheimer’s Vulnerability in Early-Stage Disease.

Award/Grant: Doctoral Award

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain, known as amyloid beta. These proteins aggregate into clumps called plaques, which spread through the brain in a distinct yet consistent pattern. However, the mechanisms underlying this progression remain poorly understood. In this project, we aim to investigate how amyloid beta propagates through the brain, with a particular focus on identifying which types of brain cells facilitate its spread. Ultimately, this research will help uncover how amyloid beta spreads in the brain and lay the groundwork for developing treatments that can halt or prevent its progression.

Dr. Étienne Hébert Chatelain, University of Moncton

Co-funded with Brain Canada Foundation

Title: MitoDREADD-Gs: a new tool to identify the cell type-specific causal mechanisms in dementia.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

Mitochondria are cellular components which provide the energy required by the brain. Any alteration of these small engines can lead to brain disorders, but their role in dementia remains poorly understood. We developed a tool named mitoDREADD-Gs. MitoDREADD-Gs is a transmembrane receptor which can be expressed in brain mitochondria of animal models. Its activation triggers biochemical cascades within mitochondria leading to increased mitochondrial activity. Activation of mitoDREADD-Gs in the brain of mouse models of dementia reverses memory deficits. In this project, we will use this tool to characterize the specific events linking the higher mitochondrial activity and the rescue of cognitive performance. We will also identify the types of brain cells involved in the improved memory performance. Overall, this project will identify the early causes of dementia.

Dr. Antonio Nanci, University of Montreal

Co-funded with Brain Canada Foundation 

Title: Targeting a keystone bacterial periodontal pathogen to mitigate neurodegenerative changes in Alzheimer's disease.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

Periodontal disease has links with Alzheimer’s disease. The bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis plays a major role in gum disease and has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease. We have identified a small protein, produced by the healthy gum around teeth, called SCPPPQ1, which has been shown to kill this bacterium. Our goal is to exploit SCPPPQ1 to control this bacterium and thereby reduce its impact on Alzheimer’s disease. To optimise the therapeutic potential of SCPPPQ1 we will apply advanced imaging methods to see whether this bacterium enters the brain and/or achieves its effect at a distance and then use an animal model of periodontal disease to determine whether SCPPPQ1 can mitigate brain damage. Our ultimate objective is to attack this bacterium directly at its source, at the level of the gum, before it contributes to causing brain changes. This represents a change in paradigm in targeting an aggravating factor in the multifactorial cascade defining Alzheimer’s disease.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis

Mr. Marc-Antoine Akzam-Ouellette, McGill University

Title: Interrelated Decline: The Role of the Locus Coeruleus in the Progression of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease Progression.

Award/Grant: Doctoral Award

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are the two most prevalent neurodegenerative affectations worldwide. Alzheimer’s leads to cognitive decline and memory impairment, primarily impacting the hippocampus and cortex, while Parkinson’s results from the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra, disrupting motor control and causing non-motor symptoms as well. Though often studied separately, new research suggests they may share common early changes in the brain. A small brain area called the locus coeruleus, which helps with attention and memory, is one of the first to be affected in both diseases. Alterations here may trigger problems with brain communication and inflammation, leading to early symptoms. This study will examine how early alterations to the locus coeruleus relates to changes in brain structure and function using brain scans and memory tests in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. By focusing on this region through a comparative.

Dr. Ethan MacDonald, University of Calgary

Title: Estimating Amyloid Beta and Tau Protein Concentration in the Brain with MRI.

Award/Grant: New Investigator Grant

Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of people and is linked to the buildup of harmful proteins in the brain called amyloid-beta and tau, years before symptoms begin. These proteins can be seen using a special brain scan called PET, but it is expensive, invasive, and not widely available.
This project uses artificial intelligence to develop a new way to “translate” standard MRI scans that are cheaper and more accessible into images that reveal these proteins, just like a PET scan. This could allow doctors to detect Alzheimer’s Disease earlier, more safely, and at a fraction of the cost. With earlier detection, people could receive treatment sooner, potentially slowing or even halting the disease with modern therapeutics before clinical symptoms manifest. It will also help researchers study Alzheimer’s Disease in more people using existing MRI data.

Dr. Rachel Yep, Sunnybrook Research Institute

 

Title: Validating a language- and culturally neutral eye tracking battery for cognitive assessment across Canadian multi-ethnic cohorts.

Award/Grant: Postdoctoral Award

Despite being the fastest growing ethnoracial group in Canada, individuals of Asian descent are significantly underrepresented in research on cognitive aging and dementia. A major barrier is the lack of tests that accurately assess cognition in individuals with diverse language and cultural backgrounds. Eye tracking tasks can potentially overcome this barrier, as they are well known to effectively assess cognition without requiring verbal responses or relying on culturally biased information. 
This study will determine whether a language and culturally neutral eye tracking battery can accurately assess cognition across Canada’s largest Asian subgroups. We will assess whether eye tracking tasks measure cognitive abilities in the same way across South Asian, Chinese, and White Canadians, and whether they are associated with well-established brain and blood-based markers of dementia. By providing equitable assessments for diverse populations, this cognitive battery could improve early detection and enhance our understanding of how dementia progresses across understudied groups.

Dr. Adam Shuhendler, University of Ottawa

Co-funded with Brain Canada Foundation

Title: PET imaging of Alzheimer's-induced inflammation to monitor progression and therapy response using a novel fructose-based radiotracer.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

One of the key processes driving Alzheimer’s Disease is inflammation in the brain, the severity of which may predict the severity of disease. Currently, doctors use special brain scans to look for signs of Alzheimer’s Disease, but these scans can’t tell if inflammation is present. This project aims to develop a new brain scan that detects inflammation by tracking how the brain uses a sugar called fructose. When the brain is inflamed, it uses more fructose, so this scan could show where and when inflammation is happening. The team will test this new scan in mice with Alzheimer’s to see if it can help predict how the disease will progress and how well treatments work. If successful, this new approach could lead to earlier and more accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and better ways to monitor and treat it.

Dr. Martin Ingelsson, University Health Network

Co-funded with Brain Canada Foundation  

Title: Development of a diagnostic amyloid-β seed amplification assay to discriminate between Alzheimer’s disease with and without cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the pathogenic amyloid-beta protein accumulates in the brain parenchyma and vessel walls. Deposition of amyloid-beta in the brain vasculature can lead to brain hemorrhages. Also, patients with abundant vascular amyloid-beta deposition are at increased risk of developing severe side effects upon treatment with the newly approved immunotherapies. Currently, clinicians cannot estimate the amount of vascular pathology in AD patients by routine analyses. Pathogenic proteins, such as amyloid-beta, can transmit their toxic conformations to physiological protein forms, a process called “seeding.” We aim to develop a assay that can analyse seeding characteristics of amyloid-beta and thereby discriminate between patients with and without vascular pathology. Such a diagnostic tool would significantly affect the clinical management of our patients. In addition to aiding clinicians in choosing the most appropriate treatments, it could allow for a more appropriate selection of patients for clinical trials.

Miss Yara Yakoub, McGill University/Douglas Mental Health University Institute

Title: Head-to-Head Comparison of Longitudinal Plasma Assays in Relation to Longitudinal Amyloid Pathology in Alzheimer’s Disease.

Award/Grant: Doctoral Award

The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is often given at the dementia stage, when significant brain damage and memory impairment have already occurred. Current methods to detect AD 
pathologies include brain scans and spinal taps, which can be costly and invasive procedures. New blood tests measured using methods like immunoassays or mass spectrometry show promise for early detection. Our study aims to compare these blood testing methods over ten years, examining how well they relate to brain imaging results and their ability to predict memory decline or dementia. The goal of our study is to find a reliable method for detecting early AD-related protein changes. We will include participants from three large studies, ranging from cognitively healthy individuals to those with cognitive impairment. We will compare proteins in blood with imaging results to understand disease progression.

Epidemiology

Epidemiology

Dr. Nasim Montazeri Ghahjaverestan, Queen's University

 

Title: Evaluating the use of artificial intelligence to investigate the link between sleep/activity cycles and dementia.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

As people age, changes in sleep and daily activity patterns can be an early sign of brain health problems such as dementia. These patterns can be comfortably tracked by monitoring wrist movements (actigraphy) over several days. However, current methods to analyze actigraphy often miss important details like individual differences or over time changes, making it hard to know which sleep habits may protect against dementia. This study will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can better analyze actigraphy data compared to traditional methods. Using data from the UK Biobank, which includes about 100,000 older adults who wore actigraphy and answered memory questions every few years, we will test whether AI can compensate subjective differences and identify healthy sleep habits with lower dementia risk. This research will help uncover simple lifestyle changes related to sleep-activity habits that may improve brain health and reduce the risk or progression of dementia.

Risk

Risk

Miss Zoë Gilson, University of Victoria

Title: Psychoeducation to Reduce Risk of Cognitive Decline: Testing an mHealth Intervention.

Award/Grant: Doctoral Award

Dementia is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may be a warning sign of future dementia. Certain habits, (e.g., eating well, staying active, managing stress, etc.), may lower one’s risk of future dementia. This project explores how these daily habits relate to SCD and tests whether a mobile health (mHealth) app intervention, MindMover, can help older adults improve their lifestyles and reduce their risk of future dementia. MindMover is an accessible tool for older adults to take an active role in aging, particularly those in underserved communities (e.g., low income, rural). 
First, older adults with SCD will track their habits and SCD symptoms for two weeks to see how these habits impact symptoms on a daily basis. Then, half of the participants will use MindMover, and we will test whether this group increases those habits compared to the group that did not use MindMover.

Mr. Nicholas Grunden, Concordia University

Title: Untangling the complexity of subjective cognitive decline: Using network analysis to better characterize the changes experienced by individuals at risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Award/Grant: Doctoral Award

Some older adults notice memory or thinking difficulties but still perform within normal ranges on cognitive testing. This condition is called subjective cognitive decline (SCD), and it can sometimes be an early warning sign of an underlying disease such as Alzheimer’s. My research uses a method called network analysis to study whether the intricate connections amongst cognitive measures in a network can tell us more about SCD and how it might be different from typical cognitive aging. To do so, we utilize data from two major Canadian studies of cognitive aging: the COMPASS-ND study and the CIMA-Q study. By comparing the SCD group network to other groups with and without clinical levels of cognitive decline, we hope to better understand what aspects of cognitive performance differentiate SCD from other groups and thus help to identify when an individual is at increased risk for dementia.

Dr. Cindy Barha, University of Calgary

Co-funded with Brain Canada Foundation

Title: Exploring the complexities of dementia risk in females: role of pregnancy history and the gut-brain axis.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

Women have a higher lifetime risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), possibly due to female-specific factors like menopause and pregnancy history. For example, the number of pregnancies a woman has had may influence her brain health after menopause, but the biological reasons remain unclear. We believe gut health — shaped by the microbes in our digestive system — may help explain this link. Menopause and AD are both known to affect gut microbes, which in turn impact brain health. This study will examine whether pregnancy history affects gut and brain health in women at higher risk for AD. We will analyze stool samples, pregnancy history, thinking performance, and brain blood flow in women already enrolled in a menopause study. We will also use a fecal microbiota transplant from humans-to-rodents approach to help examine causation. This is the first study to explore how pregnancy history interacts with the gut-brain connection in women, with the goal of developing more personalized approaches to dementia prevention and care.

Dr. Derya Sargin, University of Calgary

Co-funded with Brain Canada Foundation

Title: Signatures of early life stress as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

Award/Grant: New Investigator Grant

Our project investigates how childhood stress may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) later in life. We know that stress during early development can affect a brain chemical called serotonin, which plays a key role in memory and mood - two areas that are also affected in AD. We developed a new mouse model that mimics early brain changes seen in AD and are using it to study how early stress damages serotonin-related brain circuits. By looking at these changes closely, we hope to understand how early life experiences can contribute to AD, identify early warning signs, and find new ways to treat or even prevent the disease before symptoms appear.

Dr. Joel Burma, University of Calgary

Title: Investigating Midlife Physical Activity and Cognition Trial: A Pilot Randomized Control Trial (IMPACT Pilot).

Award/Grant: Postdoctoral Award

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are pressing healthcare issues with brain changes beginning during midlife, which is 15-20 years before symptoms appear. This pilot study will determine the ability of a 6-month exercise intervention to protect brain health in inactive midlife individuals with a family history of dementia, with special attention to females undergoing the menopause transition. Sixty inactive adults will be recruited and randomly assigned to a 3-times/week exercise program or a balance/stretching control program. Tests measuring thinking and memory abilities, brain scans, gut bacteria samples, and blood tests will be collected before and after the program. By keeping people’s brains healthy for longer, this intervention can also reduce the strain on healthcare systems, lowering the need for pharmacological treatments and long-term care. As a low-cost, accessible strategy, exercise has the potential to save healthcare resources while improving the quality of life for those at risk of dementia.

Mr. Jackson Ham, University of Lethbridge

Title: The influence of social stability on cognitive decline and memory in aged mice and a mouse model of dementia.

Award/Grant: Postdoctoral Award

Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, affects hundreds of thousands of Canadians and deeply impacts both patients and their loved ones. When people with dementia move into care facilities, they often lose daily contact with familiar faces and are surrounded by strangers. This disruption in social connections can worsen memory problems, mood (like anxiety or depression), and overall brain health. My research uses mice models of dementia to mimic these social changes, helping us understand how unstable social networks impact memory, emotions, and brain activity. We’ll also explore how these effects differ between males and females. By studying how the brain responds to social disruption—through behavior tests, brain imaging in freely moving mice, and biological markers—I hope to uncover clues about why some people decline faster than others. This could lead to better care strategies that support social stability and improve quality of life for people living with dementia.

Therapy

Therapy

Dr. Corinne Fischer, St. Michael’s Hospital

Co-funded with Brain Canada Foundation

Title: Using Alzheimer’s blood biomarkers to evaluate the effect of photobiomodulation in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

Every day, over 350 Canadians are diagnosed with dementia, and this number is expected to grow rapidly. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is an early stage where memory problems begin, and about one-third of people with MCI develop dementia. Our study is testing a new, non-invasive treatment called transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM), which uses infrared light to stimulate the brain. We want to see if this therapy can improve memory and brain health in people with MCI. Participants will use a device that delivers light to their head for 20 minutes each day over eight weeks. Based on promising results from a smaller pilot study, we are now conducting a larger trial to further test its effectiveness. If successful, this treatment could help slow or even prevent the progression from MCI to dementia, offering a new option for people at risk or people with related conditions.

Dr. Krista Lanctôt, Sunnybrook Research Institute

Co-funded with Brain Canada Foundation  

Title: Methylphenidate primed iTBS for apathy in neurocognitive disorders.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

Apathy (reduced goal-directed behaviour) is common in persons with dementia and is associated with lower quality of life, increased dependence and faster decline. Two treatments were recently shown to be modestly effective: the first is an oral medication called methylphenidate; the second is brain stimulation. Looking at the way brain stimulation works, methylphenidate may improve the response to it and help improvements last longer.  Our 10-week study will assess a method of brain stimulation, intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), in treating apathy in 6 persons with Alzheimer disease who are taking methylphenidate for apathy and 6 persons with Alzheimer disease who are not taking methylphenidate for apathy.  The study will determine if the combined treatments of methylphenidate plus iTBS work more effectively than iTBS alone in treating apathy in persons with dementia.

Mr. Ameer Hamoodi, McMaster University

Title: Brain wave informed non-invasive brain stimulation: Improving neural networks of working memory in dementia.

Award/Grant: Doctoral Award

Working memory lets us temporarily store information to support daily thinking. It’s what underlies our “train of thought”. With age, working memory declines, and in dementia, it’s more severely impaired, making it harder to hold conversations, follow instructions, or remember lists.
These impairments in working memory are linked to brain waves involved in working memory being out of sync. These brain waves are seen on electroencephalography (EEG) and our study aims to bring these brain waves back in sync through non-invasive brain stimulation. Specifically, we will use repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) precisely timed to an individual’s EEG recorded brain waves to maximize its effect on brain wave synchrony.
Our goal is to produce lasting improvements in working memory to improve cognitive function. By boosting cognitive function, we hope to offer patients more independence and their families more peace of mind.
 

Translational

Translational

Dr. Douglas Allan, University of British Columbia

Co-funded with Brain Canada Foundation

Title: A universal platform for high volume genetic modifier testing in Tauopathy.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

Genetic testing shows that the Tau gene can often carry changes (DNA mutations) in people with dementia, and also in people who are not yet diagnosed with dementia. Yet doctors cannot tell if most of these changes contribute to tauopathy. This uncertainty leaves families without clear answers and slows drug discovery. We are closing the gap by developing a fruit fly system that uses high speed genetics to identify which of these human Tau mutations are toxic to brain cells in the aging brain. Within a few months, our platform will sort harmless from harmful changes to help clinicians understand the impact of any of these changes on Tau toxicity. By analyzing many naturally-occurring mutations found in people side‑by‑side, we will also pinpoint regions of the Tau protein that increase the risk of making it toxic, which will help guide the design of a new generation of improved therapies.

Dr. Julie Ottoy, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto

Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Title: Neuro-glio-vascular contributions to mixed dementia: identifying biological links to modifiable phenotypes.

Award/Grant: New Investigator Grant

Over 700,000 Canadians live with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or another dementia. AD is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of two proteins in the brain (amyloid and tau), which leads to death of brain cells and eventually cognitive and behavioural deficits. Currently, there is no cure for AD.
Recent drug trials targeting the removal of amyloid have shown promising outcomes but ~30% of patients were at increased risk for brain swelling or bleeding following the treatment. Further investigations have suggested that these at-risk patients have amyloid in the vessels (cerebral amyloid angiopathy or CAA) as well as inflammation around the vessels. However, we currently lack biological markers (‘biomarkers’) to detect CAA and related inflammation early in AD. 
The goal of this work is to investigate emerging CAA-related imaging markers based on MRI using cutting-edge AI tools, and their relationships to inflammation and cognition in patients across the AD and CAA spectrum.

Treatment

Treatment

Dr. John Howland, University of Saskatchewan

Co-funded by Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation

Title: Alzheimer's disease-related cognition and dendritic spine morphology and function in a novel tau knockout rat.

Award/Grant: Proof of Concept Grant

The connections between neurons known as synapses weaken and are eventually lost in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Abnormalities of a protein called tau are associated with these changes and ultimately the cognitive impairments in AD. Consequently, tau-lowering approaches are being explored by the pharmaceutical industry for the treatment of AD. The goal of our study is to establish if eliminating the tau protein protects against synapse loss and cognitive impairments in a rat model. Specifically, we will test how age and sex are involved in synaptic pathologies in this model given the importance of these factors in the etiology of AD.

Ms. Parisa Tabeshmehr, University of Manitoba

Co-funded by Research Manitoba 

Title: Impact of disrupting TRPM2 function in Alzheimer’s Disease

Award/Grant: Doctoral Award

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a brain disorder that causes memory loss and cognitive decline, affecting 1 in 9 people over 65. There is no cure, and treatments only manage symptoms. A hallmark of AD is the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ), which disrupts neuronal communication and activates harmful inflammation in brain immune cells. My lab has identified TRPM2, an ion channel involved in these processes, as a promising drug target. With collaborators, we are testing JNJ, a selective and well-tolerated TRPM2 blocker, to determine if it can reduce Aβ-induced damage. My experiments in cells and mice will evaluate whether JNJ prevents memory loss by preserving neuronal signaling and reducing inflammation. Positive results would support TRPM2 inhibition as a novel treatment and guide development of improved TRPM2 blockers with better brain penetration and stability. Unlike past Aβ-targeting therapies, this approach may more effectively reduce the toxic soluble Aβ linked to memory decline in AD.