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Brain Gain: Identifying candidate dementia-related biomarkers and early intervention strategies for adults aged 50+ with a history of mild traumatic brain injury

Project Overview

One hundred and forty-four thousand Canadians suffer a diagnosed concussion each year. A concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury, often caused by a bump to the head or body that causes one’s brain to move within the skull. This movement causes micro-tears in the brain that are undetectable by even some of the best brain imaging machines. In addition to the immediate symptoms of injury (headache, dizziness, memory loss), there is growing concern that these injuries will lead to longer-lasting deficits in the ageing brain, including dementia. There is no cure for dementia; however, identifying risk factors (something that increases a person’s risk for disease) and early indicators of disease are crucial research areas.

Recent research indicates that individuals who have sustained at least one diagnosed concussion are nearly two times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than someone without a concussion history. Therefore, concussions are a risk factor for dementia. Some early identifiers of dementia include decreased cognitive functions (memory, attention, processing speed) and increased levels of brain-related proteins in the blood and saliva. This research aims to identify dementia-related candidate cognitive and fluid (blood and saliva) biomarkers in individuals with concussion histories. The benefits of cognitive and exercise-based interventions for adults at a heightened risk of dementia due to previous concussions have yet to be explored. Therefore, this research also examines some potential preventative strategies for this same group. We will assess cognitive performance and fluid dementiarelated biomarkers before and after a randomly assigned 12-week intervention program to identify these interventions’ utility in this population. Altogether, this project aims to identify early detection and intervention measures for adults at risk of dementia due to concussion history.

Principal Investigator

Taylor Snowden , University of Victoria

Partners and Donors

Brain Changes Initiative

Project Complete

Brain Gain: Identifying candidate dementia-related biomarkers and early intervention strategies for adults aged 50+ with a history of mild traumatic brain injury

  • Grant Type

    Capacity building grants

  • Area of research

    Injury

  • Disease Area

    Brain Injury

  • Competition

    Rising Stars Trainee Awards

  • Province

    British Columbia

  • Start Date

    2022

  • Total Grant Amount

    $10,000

  • Health Canada Contribution

    $5,000

Contact Us

1200 McGill College Avenue
Suite 1600, Montreal, Quebec
H3B 4G7

+1 (514) 989-2989 info@braincanada.ca

Please note all online donations will receive an electronic tax receipt, issued by Brain Canada Foundation.

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Territorial acknowledgement

The offices of Brain Canada Foundation are located on the traditional, ancestral territory of the Kanien'kehá:ka Peoples, a place which has long served as a site of meeting and exchange amongst nations. We honour and pay respect to elders past, present and emerging, and dedicate ourselves to moving forward in the spirit of partnership, collaboration, and reconciliation. In our work, we focus our efforts on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, particularly those that pertain to improving health for Indigenous Peoples and that focus on advancing our own learning on Indigenous issues.

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Registration number: 89105 2094 RR0001

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  • About
    • What We Do
    • EDI Action Plan
    • Leadership
    • Team
    • Annual Report
    • Publications
    • Careers
  • Brain Conditions
    • One Brain
    • ALS
    • Autism (ASD)
    • Brain Cancer
    • Brain Injury
    • Dementia
    • Epilepsy
    • Mental Illness
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Parkinson’s
    • Stroke
    • More
  • Research
    • Programs
    • Funding Opportunities
    • Program Partners
    • Announcements
  • Impact
    • Research Impact Stories
    • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
    • Brain Health in Indigenous Communities
    • Women’s Brain Health
    • Mind Over Matter
  • How You Can Help
    • Ways to Give
    • Start a Fundraiser
    • Workplace Giving
    • The Great Minds
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