With no cure for the disease, scientists around the world are conducting research that is leading to breakthroughs in the diagnosis, progression and prevention of Alzheimer’s. Dr. Julie Ottoy, scientist in the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, is one of the many researchers at Sunnybrook Research Institute, studying the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s and what impacts it has on patient outcomes.

Dr. Ottoy’s interest in researching the causes and progression of Alzheimer’s disease started from her personal experiences. Like many Canadians, she has seen firsthand how the disease can impact the lives of family members and friends. Her experiences with her own loved ones and conversations with individuals with lived experience have played a pivotal part in shaping her work.

They remind me time and again that the research we do is about people, their families and their futures.

Dr. Ottoy’s research is working to answer some of the most fundamental questions surrounding Alzheimer’s. Who is most likely to develop Alzheimer’s? In what cases does the disease progress faster? Can we detect changes in the brain before symptoms appear?

Her work specifically focuses on better understanding mixed dementia. This is when Alzheimer’s disease occurs alongside vascular brain damage, which occurs when the blood vessels in our brain are affected and the blood flow to the brain is disrupted. Although mixed dementia is common, it’s not fully understood, making diagnosis and treatment challenging.

Using advanced neuroimaging techniques, like PET and MRI scans, blood-based biological markers, computational biology and AI-based analysis tools, Dr. Ottoy’s research focuses on two overarching themes:

• Mechanisms: To better understand how changes in our blood vessels and immune system contribute to brain changes seen in Alzheimer’s and mixed dementia.
• Biomarkers: To investigate novel biological markers that can aid researchers and clinicians in predicting the progression of these disorders in their early stages.

Her research looks for signs of vascular damage on brain scans, patterns of inflammation and the presence of toxic proteins that form into amyloid plaques and tau tangles. By combining this information, researchers can group patients into more specific subgroups based on the biological changes driving their disease, in turn driving more targeted intervention.

Photo illustration. Kevin Van Paassen/Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

“Alzheimer’s is a very heterogeneous disease, meaning there is a number of different contributing factors and causes for the disease,” explains Dr. Ottoy. “By identifying different subgroups of patients using biomarkers, we are a step closer to creating more tailored treatments that match the individual needs of each patient more closely.”

Another area of her research investigates how well different brain regions connect with one another. The abnormal buildup of tau, one of the toxic proteins in Alzheimer’s disease, leads to cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. Some studies suggest the way brain regions connect with each other is a key mechanism for the spreading of tau. Dr. Ottoy’s work studies these highly-connected regions and tau epicentres, to predict where the tau will build up next.

By studying the interface between the vascular system, immune cells and the spread of Alzheimer’s-specific toxic proteins throughout the brain, scientists can identify novel treatment targets, determine the best time and approach for disease intervention and develop new biomarkers that can inform future clinical trials and potential treatments. Understanding immuno-vascular contributions to dementia is important because both vascular and immune factors are modifiable.

With the advent of disease-modifying treatments, we are closer than ever in meaningfully slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Today’s research lays the groundwork for larger-scale initiatives, including multi-site collaborations, like Toronto’s first 7-Tesla MRI, housed at Sunnybrook and part of the Toronto Neuro-Immunology/Imaging Consortium (TONIIC), a multi-site collaborative research initiative focused on neuroimmunology and neuroimaging for diseases such as Alzheimer’s. These research efforts will deepen understanding of disease mechanisms and aid in identifying new biomarkers and therapies.

“My hope is that these advancements will drive the development of combination treatment strategies that reach the clinic and accelerate progress toward precision medicine for neurodegenerative diseases.”

Dr. Ottoy’s research in immune-vascular contributions to dementia is funded by the Alzheimer’s Association and BrightFocus.

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Nearly 10 years later, the same group of researchers is once again approaching a new breakthrough, this time with the potential to bring the technology to more patients and more clinics, and to revolutionize the treatment options for many neurological and brain diseases.

The team, led by Dr. Kullervo Hynynen, vice president of research and innovation and senior scientist at SRI, as well as the Temerty Chair in Focused Ultrasound Research, has developed a powerful new ultrasound device specifically designed to open the blood-brain barrier to allow helpful agents — such as chemotherapy, antibodies, stem cells or gene therapy to reach the brain. However, unlike the current focused ultrasound device, the new technology operates without the need for real-time MR imaging – a costly hurdle for delivering focused ultrasound to the brain.

At Sunnybrook, focused ultrasound is most commonly used to treat essential tremor, a neurological disease that causes tremors which can severely affect a person’s quality of life. Dr. Nir Lipsman, chief of the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Harquail Chair in Neuromodulation and senior scientist at SRI, explains that the technology used for this indication is called high-intensity focused ultrasound, which uses ultrasound waves to target tissue and create lesions deep within the brain, without the need for a scalpel or incisions.

The new technology in development, meanwhile, is low-intensity focused ultrasound, which Lipsman says, “is used to open the blood-brain barrier and deliver all kinds of therapeutics to the brain.”

The technology behind the low-intensity focused ultrasound is currently undergoing clinical trials at Sunnybrook’s Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation – to be housed within the new Garry Hurvitz Brain Science Centre – and has the potential to provide new treatments and therapies for brain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Drs. Hynynen and Lipsman shared some of the latest developments and most promising potential of the next-generation helmet.

Drs. Kullervo Hynynen and Nir Lipsman

How could this next-generation helmet change the way focused ultrasound is used to treat brain diseases?

Lipsman: One of the conditions we are most interested in is brain cancer. Currently, the entire procedure across all of our trials is done inside the MRI for real-time imaging. There are some indications where that’s very important, but there are other indications where real-time imaging may not be as critical. The next-generation helmet means we may be able to do the procedure outside of the MRI environment, saving time and money, and making the procedure more comfortable for patients. The idea is over time to develop a safer, more streamlined, and effective procedures for accessing critical brain circuits, and that’s where the new technology will really shine.

Hynynen: Taking the procedure out of the MRI would make it a more accessible form of treatment. We would do an initial scan of the patient’s head to be able to create a rapid prototype of the helmet that is customized to the patient, and subsequent treatments could be done without real-time imaging. Being out of the MRI means no associated costs, and by bringing costs down it increases capacity significantly.

How is the next-generation helmet different from the existing technology?

Hynynen: The current focused ultrasound technology works really well for precise single ‘dose’ treatments, like treating tremors or what you might think of as ‘surgery’ treatments. But for treating brain cancer or Alzheimer’s, which require multiple treatments, it becomes prohibitive in its current state using real-time MRI. By taking the treatment out of the MRI, we can perform any number of treatments. It’s taking it to the next level – it becomes a real treatment for things like brain cancer and Alzheimer’s.

What would a treatment visit look like for someone using this new technology?

Hynynen: The patient would get the initial MRI scan, and from that a customized helmet would be created. Then, the patient would come in for treatment, get the helmet and transducers on. We would infuse drug and infuse the microbubbles that help us open the blood-brain barrier, and with very controlled modulation we would open the blood-brain barrier to deliver the therapy. The treatment can be precisely customized for each patient to the area of the disease while the intact blood-brain barrier is protecting the rest of the brain.

Lipsman: An aspirational goal would be to do with focused ultrasound what we do in a chemotherapy clinic or a dialysis centre. It would be an outpatient procedure where patients come in, get the procedure, and leave in a more streamlined, comfortable process. Ultimately, we hope to use focused ultrasound at every stage of the brain cancer treatment journey. This can include immediately after surgery, when patients undergo chemotherapy and radiation or it might be at the time of a recurrence, and in order to enhance the effect of other treatments. The idea is to match, as much as possible, novel treatments to our patient’s specific conditions.

This technology development is generously supported by the Weston Family FUS Initiative and our incredible donor community.

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The brain: a complex challenge

The unique and intricate structure of the human brain enables us to do many tasks, however, its complexity poses a challenge towards understanding, diagnosing and treating different brain disorders. Conditions that affect the brain such as ALS, Alzheimer’s disease and some cancers, can have devasting impacts on an individual, and given the complexity of the brain, are very difficult to treat.

In order to better understand the organization of the brain and disease progression, scientists depend on models that accurately represent the human brain. Currently, much of our scientific understanding of the brain is based on animal biology and while those models continue to play a valuable role in brain research, they remain limited because the human brain is dramatically different and unique from those of other animals.

Modelling the human brain

Dr. Carol Schuurmans leads the stem cell and organoid facility at Sunnybrook Research Institute.

Scientists at Sunnybrook Research Institute (SRI) are advancing the understanding of the human brain by developing models with more precision than ever before. Dr. Carol Schuurmans, senior scientist in the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program and Dixon Family Chair in Ophthalmology Research, leads Sunnybrook’s stem cell and organoid facility, which is managed by Dr. Dawn Zinyk. Dr. Schuurmans’ lab specializes in growing cerebral organoids, which are miniature and simplified versions of brain tissue, to better understand the cellular and molecular features of the human brain.

“We can use cerebral organoids to study many different things including developmental principles and disease mechanisms,” says Dr. Schuurmans. “Currently, these organoids are helping us understand which genes contribute to human brain development, with hopes of applying this tool to disease models to better recognize disease pathology and mechanisms.”

How are organoids designed?

A 100-day old cerebral organoid at Sunnybrook, visible to the human eye (enlarged to show detail).

Organoids are grown in vitro using pluripotent stem cells. Scientists isolate human blood or skin cells and convert them into pluripotent stem cells, which are cells that can give rise to and act as any one of the body’s more than 200 cell types. These stem cells are then mixed with a variety of molecules, which direct them to grow into different types of tissue, including brain tissue (i.e., cerebral organoids).

At SRI, scientists are currently growing organoids that resemble the neocortex, the front part of the brain that’s responsible for sensation and cognition. It can take three to four months to develop an organoid to a stage that models the cell composition of a human brain. At SRI, organoids have been grown for up to 10 months, where they become larger, more mature and increasingly complex.

A 18-day old organoid at Sunnybrook, under the microscope.

What potential do organoids have for the future of brain health?

“The hope for these models is to support personalized medicine and treatments,” explains Dr. Schuurmans. “Using organoids, scientists and clinicians can observe disease progression in specific individuals, and with this knowledge, clinicians can determine the most effective course of treatment for that patient.”

Right now, scientists at SRI are growing cerebral organoids to study their potential to create personalized treatments for neurogenerative diseases like dementia. Possessing models that more accurately represent the unique and complex human brain will provide scientists with more effective tools to aid in advancing the future of brain health.

The post What are cerebral organoids? Sunnybrook scientists advance the future of brain research appeared first on Your Health Matters.

When Janice* began to have trouble with her short-term memory, she and her husband became concerned.

“My dad had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in his early 60’s, so I had a pretty good view of what it looked like,” says Janice. “I spoke to my family doctor and was later referred to Sunnybrook.”

Janice, who is now in her mid-seventies, was then assessed by Dr. Sandra Black, renowned cognitive neurologist and Scientific Director of the Dr. Sandra Black Centre for Brain Resilience and Recovery at Sunnybrook Research Institute.

After a series of tests, Janice was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment. The condition is defined when there is a memory problem or other cognitive complaints by the person or their family, but the person is still able to carry out all activities of daily living. MCI can include problems with memory, word finding or way finding, concentration, problem solving insight and judgment.

Dr. Black’s team, which embeds research into care, offered Janice participation in an observational study called the Brain Eye Amyloid Memory (BEAM) study, which provided a detailed eye exam, cognitive testing, mood and daily function questionnaires, and a quantitative brain scan using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET). After participating in BEAM, Janice was found to have amyloid deposits in her brain, and diagnosed with MCI due to early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

Living with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease

For Janice, living with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease means she now relies more heavily on her husband for support, and spends a lot of her time doing whatever she can to slow down the disease.

“We eat a Mediterranean diet, have switched to non-alcoholic wine, and spend time walking outdoors and exercising in our home gym,” says Janice. Previous research suggests that physical activity and exercise have the potential to lessen amyloid buildup in the brain, while also decreasing inflammation. “We also aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.”

Janice knows the importance of staying engaged with friends and keeping her brain stimulated, using apps like Duolingo and Wordle regularly.

“We’re planning a trip to Paris shortly, so I’ve been practicing my French every day.”

Joining a clinical trial

Janice and her husband with Dr. Sandra Black, cognitive neurologist and Scientific Director of the Dr. Sandra Black Centre for Brain Resilience and Recovery at Sunnybrook Research Institute.

As part of her efforts to potentially slow down the disease, Janice enrolled in a pharmaceutical clinical trial at Sunnybrook investigating a potential new antibody therapy aimed at blocking the tau tangle formation that co-occurs with amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease. At the Dr. Sandra Black Centre for Brain Resilience and Recovery, researchers are actively involved in several trials testing biomarkers (including in the blood and eyes), as well as new potentially disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

The trial Janice is participating in is a double-blinded randomized control trial, meaning that she and the research team are unaware if she is receiving a placebo or the experimental therapy, which is currently being tested for efficacy and safety.

“My hope is potential therapies like these will slow down the disease for me or others. You can’t be unrealistic, but you can be hopeful.”

She visits Sunnybrook with her husband each month for an infusion, and is closely monitored by the clinical trials team, which sometimes includes assessments like cognitive testing, brain imaging, EKGs, and blood work as well.

Although she doesn’t know if the infusions are helping her, she remains positive. “If things don’t get too much worse, we could handle it. We’re doing everything we can.”

Janice’s advice for other people facing a similar situation?

“As soon as you notice something is off, try to save yourself and your family by doing everything you can. Don’t try to hide it. [This disease] is not going to go easy on you, but there is a lot you can do — don’t give up.”

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Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that affects memory and behaviour and interferes with everyday life. As the disease progresses, individuals experience more cognitive difficulties, and can lose their ability to read, walk or recognize loved ones. Some risk factors include age, genetics and sex, however anyone can get it in their lifetime. People with dementia have different experiences, but the effects of the disease are felt by many – patients, family members and friends alike.

While there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, efforts are being made worldwide to manage the disease. At Sunnybrook, scientists are driving the innovation and treatment of brain health and creating hope for the future.

Improving diagnosis and treatment

Much of the international criteria we have now for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is thanks in part to contributions from The Sunnybrook Dementia Study, a 25-year observational study measuring and monitoring changes in patients with dementias, vascular disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Led by Dr. Sandra Black, cognitive neurologist and senior scientist at Sunnybrook, this study began in 1995 and is applying advanced MRI, genetic testing and cognitive and functional assessments at yearly intervals to measure and monitor changes in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

The study has been a success thanks to its multidisciplinary team and importantly, the more than 1600 patient participants explains Dr. Black. “We learn from our patients, engage them in a partnership — it’s research embedded in care.”

Some of these patients may go on to participate in one of the many Alzheimer’s clinical trials at Sunnybrook. There are currently participants in several pharmaceutical studies that are working toward potentially modifying the disease by testing antibody therapies that can remove amyloid plaques in the brain. One example is the AHEAD study, which is exploring whether an investigational treatment can slow or stop the earliest brain changes due to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers can detect changes in the brain of those with Alzheimer’s disease up to 20 years before symptoms begin. The goal of the AHEAD study is to prevent the development of memory loss and other symptoms, before the plaques cause too much damage to the brain.

While not yet approved in Canada, researchers and clinicians are also excited about new blood tests, available through research trials, that are being used for screening those at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to this screening process, amyloid PET scans are done using Sunnybrook’s Cyclotron facility, Health Canada’s only approved tracer for detecting amyloid deposits in the brain.

“Thanks to rapidly advancing precision medicine technologies, Alzheimer’s disease may soon become a preventable and treatable condition,” says Dr. Black. “This is a very exciting time in research, given the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in Canada’s aging population.”

Addressing changing dementia demographics

In the past 20 years, Canada’s population has changed, but much of our scientific understanding of dementia risk factors is based on populations of European descent. As the population profile of dementia patients is projected to change, more research is needed to address the unique needs and experiences of diverse communities. The Canadian Multi-Ethnic Research on Aging (CAMERA) study aims to understand the risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease in diverse ethnic groups in Canada.

The study, led by Dr. Jenny Rabin, scientist in the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program at Sunnybrook Research Institute, is following 300 participants, free from significant cognitive impairment, across three different ethnic groups: individuals from European, South Asian and Chinese descent. The study will allow researchers to study the earliest changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disorders. CAMERA is the first study in Canada that brings together brain imaging and cognitive measures to investigate risk factors for dementia in a multi-ethnic cohort.

“This knowledge will ultimately allow us to develop more effective dementia prevention and intervention strategies for Canada’s diverse communities,” says Dr. Rabin.

Changing the course of the disease

The biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is age. Most individuals diagnosed with dementia are over the age of 65, however about one per cent of people with Alzheimer’s will have the genetic form known formally as autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease (ADAD). Also referred to as early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease, the condition is genetically inherited or passed down through families. Individuals will begin to experience cognitive decline as early as their 30s. In Canada, there are more than 25,000 people under the age of 65 living with dementia.

“In the prime of your life, you’ll begin to experience memory loss, then develop changes in behaviour, such as trouble controlling emotions. You may lose your inhibitions. Eventually, you will lose the ability to communicate,” says Dr. Mario Masellis, neurologist and associate scientist at Sunnybrook.

In Alzheimer’s diagnosis and treatment, time is of the essence – the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU) drug trial, is working toward slowing down, even potentially stopping, dementia symptoms in those predisposed to the Alzheimer’s gene. Dr. Masellis is leading the trial at Sunnybrook, one of the few Canadian sites taking part in the global study. The trial is testing two drugs that aim to lower the levels of the substance that causes amyloid plaques in the brain, which play a central role in Alzheimer’s disease.

Because early-onset dementia makes up a small number of dementia cases, there are fewer support systems for those patients, who may begin to experience cognitive decline while they’re still raising a family or growing their career. Research from the DIAN-TU trial can lead to the development of early intervention and prevention therapies to help people with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

The Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre

Sunnybrook’s new Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre, currently under construction, is a collaborative, state-of-the-art facility that will bring together clinical and research spaces to continue to advance Alzheimer’s diagnosis and care.

There may not be a cure yet, but the future of Alzheimer’s treatment is promising, thanks to the work of dedicated scientists and healthcare professionals at Sunnybrook and around the world.

The post How Sunnybrook is creating hope for patients living with Alzheimer’s disease appeared first on Your Health Matters.

The human brain is always active, even during sleep, and is composed of four main lobes. The frontal lobe sits right above your eyes and is the CEO of your brain. It’s responsible for decision making, problem solving and shaping your personality. In short, it makes you who you are.

The parietal lobe is located at the top back part of your brain. Think of this as your GPS system, helping navigate where you need to go. If you’ve ever stubbed your toe, this is also the lobe that helps you process sensations like pain, touch and temperature.

The temporal lobe sits right beside your ears. This area acts like the brain’s DJ, helping you process complex sounds and language. In addition to these important tasks, the temporal lobe also oversees your processing of emotions and memories.

The fourth lobe of the brain is called the occipital lobe, and is located right at the back of your head. It is the artist of the brain, allowing you to process complex visual scenes and see the world in vivid detail and colour.

Each part of the brain is important, but just like human beings, they don’t operate on their own. All four lobes work together to integrate and synthesize all the information and sensations around us.

A few more interesting facts about the human brain:

• The brain interprets pain signals for the body, but doesn’t feel pain in itself
• It shrinks as we get older
• Brain tissue is soft and squishy, similar to the consistency of gelatin

The post Your brain, decoded: with Sunnybrook neurologist Dr. Sara Mitchell appeared first on Your Health Matters.

All of the things that the brain is responsible for – physical and mental – are part of brain health. While often spoken about separately, mental health is a central part of brain health – they are not separate or distinct.

Mental health is brain health.

Understanding this can help to reduce the stigma that continues to be associated with mental illness, which, like any physical disorder or disease, is a health problem and requires appropriate treatment.

One of most important things that people don’t often realize is that the three major brain conditions of our lifetime; stroke, dementia, and depression, are all inter-related. They are all happening in the same organ, and if person has been diagnosed with one of those three conditions, their risk of the other two conditions increases.

That is to say: if an individual has a stroke, it increases their risk of having post-stroke depression and developing dementia; if someone has dementia, there is an increased risk of developing depression and having a stroke; and having clinical depression, increases the risk of going on to have stroke and/or dementia.

What affects brain health

Any disruptions to the brain can affect the way it works. The brain is an incredibly vascular organ – there are a rich supply of arteries and veins that help with the delivery of nutrients to the brain, as well as the removal of toxins and by-products of metabolism, to keep it healthy.

When that blood flow is interrupted, it affects brain function and that results in changes in the way information travels along the brain’s pathways. This can impact how we move, how we sense things like hearing or touch, the way we think about the world and people around us, how we perceive a situation, and how we behave.

It is important that brain conditions are understood and treated from multiple perspectives at the same time. Traditionally, the various medical specialties that deal with brain conditions would treat disorders individually; for example, if a person has a stroke and needs a blood clot removed, they will be seen by a neurosurgeon or neurologist. If a person has depression, they will be treated by a psychiatrist. If a person has dementia, they might see a neurologist or a psychiatrist.

But the new way of understanding and treating brain conditions involves a broader and more collaborative approach.

A multi-disciplinary approach to brain health

Sunnybrook’s Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre will connect brain health experts from across medical disciplines in the same building.

Bringing brain specialists together to collaborate with one another will help enhance a patient’s treatment, education, and will pave the way for possible new discoveries of the causes and potential treatments of brain conditions.

For stroke, depression, dementia, and other brain conditions, including sleep disturbances, anxiety, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), tremor, and others – having a broad range of the brain specialities and disciplines, including neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, psychology, and more, working together for improved patient care, is really the way of the future.

For more information about brain health:

• Learn more about Sunnybrook’s Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre
• Q & A with Dr. Levitt about Sunnybrook’s Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre
• Learn more about the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program at Sunnybrook

If you need help in an emergency, please call 911 or visit your local emergency department.

If you’re feeling like you’re in crisis or need somebody to talk to, please know that help is also available through community resources:

• Find a local crisis resource at sunnybrook.ca/gethelp
• Crisis Services Canada
  • Phone: 24-hour, toll-free 1-833-456-4566
  • Text: 45645 (4:00 p.m. – midnight Eastern Time)
• Kids Help Phone
  • Phone: 24-hour, toll-free, 1-800-668-6868
  • Text: 686868 (24 hours, 7 days a week)

The post Why mental health is brain health appeared first on Your Health Matters.

Despite the statistics, innovative research is underway at Sunnybrook to help bring hope to the fight against Alzheimer’s and dementia.

“We may be entering a new era with possible effective treatments for this disorder which affects whole families and is increasingly prevalent with populations aging,” says Dr. Sandra Black, director of the Dr. Sandra Black Centre for Brain Resilience and Recovery. “Continued research is critical as we aim to develop and discover meaningful treatments and prevention strategies for Alzheimer’s and dementia.”

Here are just some of the innovative ways that Sunnybrook clinicians and researchers are on the leading edge of research in the detection, prevention, and treatment of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Apathy and Agitation in Alzheimer’s

At Sunnybrook, clinical studies are underway on apathy and agitation in Alzheimer’s patients, where researchers are exploring ways to help decrease apathy in patients. This can help increase their interest in activities and their emotional responsiveness, which may help improve their quality of life, as well as their caregivers’.

Early on-set dementia

In a world-first study, a team of Sunnybrook scientists are trying to identify biomarkers, or biological clues in the brain, such as blood flow, that could demonstrate an early-onset frontotemporal dementia in people who have a genetic predisposition to the disease.

 

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Innovative technology

Researchers are also looking for innovative ways to deliver medicine or therapeutics directly to the areas of the brain involved in Alzheimer’s disease.

Preclinical research is exploring the delivery of gene therapy to treat Alzheimer’s and help improve memory and boost brain health.

One of those methods uses focused ultrasound technology, where ultrasound waves are precisely directed to a targeted area of the brain to help open the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which can allow potentially helpful medications to reach brain regions involved in Alzheimer’s and dementia, without having to use scalpels. Research teams have shown evidence that the BBB can be temporarily opened safely using focused ultrasound, an exciting first step in exploring a new way for therapeutics to be delivered to the brain.

Who will get Alzheimer’s disease?

Sunnybrook scientists are also using artificial intelligence and machine learning to try and detect early signs and symptoms of dementia to improve treatment and prevention of the disease.

Research is also underway to learn more about risk factors for dementia among diverse ethnic groups including individuals of South Asian and Chinese descent, as these groups are often under-represented in dementia studies.

The latest Sunnybrook research has also demonstrated that having poor vascular health may accelerate cognitive decline in patients with dementia and small vessel disease.

Preventing Alzheimer’s

Researchers are finding out how lifestyle can protect individuals from dementia.

While it is critical for cutting edge studies to continue in the search for new treatment and care for patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia, it can also be helpful for individuals to take action themselves to learn more about dementia and how activity can help boost brain health in more ways than one.

From prevention to diagnostics and potential treatment innovations, “We’re at the forefront of discovery for dementia and Alzheimer’s at Sunnybrook,” says Dr. Black. “There’s a lot to be optimistic about.”

The post Advancing Alzheimer’s research appeared first on Your Health Matters.

“The brain is the key organ at the centre of what we think, what we feel, how we behave, and how we move,” says Dr. Anthony Levitt, chief of Sunnybrook’s Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program.

Around the world, brain disease is the leading cause of death and disability. Many of us know someone whose life has been impacted by stroke, dementia, mental illness, or other brain conditions. By 2030, diseases of the brain are expected to outpace all others in terms of health-care costs and level of disability in society.

“The brain is influenced and affected by almost everything we do. Simple steps taken each day can help support brain health and general well-being,” adds Dr. Levitt.

Here are simple steps to boosting brain health to keep it working at its best.

Make sleep a priority

A good night’s rest has a positive impact on learning, thinking, memory, and mood. It can also help strengthen your immune system. Sleep helps to clear toxins from the brain, consolidate memories, and boost brain function.

For the times when it is difficult to fall asleep, you can try these tips to help improve your sleep.

Be physically active

Research has shown that exercise can help protect the brain from Alzheimer’s disease. It helps to increase blood flow to the brain. Being active can also help improve sleep.

Eat well

Healthy eating is good for the brain. Nutritious foods including lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can feed the brain in a positive way. Include foods that are low in fat and high in antioxidants.

Be socially active

Social interaction, and maintaining this as we age, has a positive impact on mental health. Connecting with family, friends, and building positive relationships can help with stress management. Engaging in conversation can stimulate the brain and strengthen problem-solving skills, all of which benefit brain health, overall.

Challenge your brain

Various activities that energize the brain intellectually can be done while engaging with others socially or own your own. Word games, puzzles, reading, listening to music, dancing, painting, or learning something new, and many other activities, can build new connections among nerve cells in the brain and help keep it in shape.

The post Tips to improve brain health appeared first on Your Health Matters.

Dr. Anthony Levitt, chief of the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, shares his insight on the new centre and how it will make a difference for patients, families and health care teams.

Dr. Anthony Levitt.

What is the Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre at Sunnybrook?

Sunnybrook’s new Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre will be the first centre of its kind in Canada that will bring together experts from across the field of brain sciences under one roof.

This means psychiatrists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, ophthalmologists, otologists and other brain sciences experts will be working in a state-of-the-art facility to not only enhance the discovery of new interventions for patients, but also research and innovation in brain sciences for the most challenging brain disorders of our time such as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, Parkinson’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), mood and anxiety disorders, and other conditions.

The new Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre at Sunnybrook is where we will revolutionize the future of brain health.

What makes the Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre unique?

At Sunnybrook’s Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre, there will not be a distinction between mental health and physical health. Both body and brain will be considered as a whole – brain health is health.

The physical space will be unique because typically experts are located throughout the hospital or the city. The Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre at Sunnybrook will enable brain sciences experts to collaborate in one building allowing for a greater interdisciplinary approach to care, research, and education in the brain science field.

How will the new centre make a difference as the COVID-19 pandemic continues?

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a huge impact on the mental health of individuals of all ages. Throughout the pandemic, experts in Sunnybrook’s department of psychiatry have continued to support patients and families with mental health and addictions concerns by providing them with virtual and in-person care, as needed.

When built, Sunnybrook’s Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre will continue to provide comprehensive care to patients across the age spectrum. The Murphy Family Centre for Mental Health at Sunnybrook will provide expert inpatient treatment and support to adolescents, adults, and the elderly in a comforting and caring space.

Research investigating the affect of the pandemic on mental health will continue, as well as research at Sunnybrook’s Hurvitz Brain Science Research Program which is investigating the long and short-term impacts of COVID-19 on the brain.

What will Sunnybrook’s new Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre mean for patients and their families?

For patients and families, the new building will ultimately mean that all of the experts will be in one building, which will mean a more streamlined process.

For example, if a patient with complex brain disorder is referred to the centre with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and major depression, the patient will not only be able to see a neurologist, they will also have the opportunity to seek treatment from a psychiatrist.

The health-care team will be able to take a cross-disciplinary approach to the care they provide. Perhaps the patient will need to be admitted as an inpatient in the Murphy Family Centre for Mental Health, or perhaps the health-care team will reach out to a neurosurgeon in the centre for further examination and collaboration that could lead to a recommendation for participation in a groundbreaking innovative clinical trial that could perhaps alleviate symptoms or lead to improved interventions for the patient’s condition.

This is an incredibly exciting time in brain medicine. Experts from across the field will be collaborating and moving forward in treatment, research and education with an interdisciplinary approach. This wasn’t always the case in brain medicine. Typically, each discipline focuses on its own specialty, but we know that collaboration can lead to more innovation, as well as the development and discovery of novel interventions for patients. We are thrilled about this new era in brain health.

Learn more about Sunnybrook’s Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre »

View construction milestones of the Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre at Sunnybrook »

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