Study Information
Why are we conducting the study?
As people get older, some maintain strong cognitive skills, while others develop dementia. Dementia can happen for many reasons, and it affects everyone differently. We want to understand why.
Our team is studying what helps the brain stay healthy as we age. This includes biological, social, and psychological factors. By collecting comprehensive data that capture these factors, we can build computer models, using a tool called The Virtual Brain, to identify which factors help keep the brain resilient. These models may one day help prevent dementia before it starts.
What are we doing?
We are partnering with the BC Generations Project, the largest long-term health study in British Columbia. Since 2009, the project has collected health and lifestyle information from over 30,000 adults. This gives us a strong foundation to build on.
In our study, we:
Conduct cognitive assessments
Identify health and lifestyle risk factors that people can change
Use existing blood samples to study genetics and estimate genetic risk
Measure sleep using self-reports and wearable devices
Record brain activity with EEG to learn about neural complexity
Why does this research matter?
The Brain Resilience Study is the first step toward a much larger project. What we learn now will help us understand who is most at risk for dementia and why the disease progresses differently in different people.
In the future, this knowledge can guide more personalized treatments, better tools to detect dementia early, and ways to support healthy aging.