Dr. Corrine Fischer on the state of dementia research
I’ve always been fascinated by the brain. How does it develop? Why does it degenerate?
Despite all that we know, there is still so much that we don’t know about the brain and it’s exciting to be exploring these questions with so many bright people.
In the past, many of us worked in silos. Everyone was busy in their own corners, doing their own thing.
Now we are all working together. Geriatricians, neurologists, psychiatrists, neuroscientists – everyone is working collaboratively.
We are looking not just at drugs, but at novel approaches such as deep brain stimulation, trans-cranial magnetic stimulation and other ways of treating these terrible neurodegenerative diseases.
And there are so many exciting initiatives – the newly formed Neuroscience Research Division of St. Michael’s Hospital, The Toronto Dementia Research Alliance, The Ontario Brain Institute, Brain Canada.
These research partnerships are so important right now. Look at the demographics – we are all getting older. It’s really critical for us to forge ahead and find answers now.
As a geriatric psychiatrist, I’ve seen the impact of these illnesses on my patients and their families. But I believe there are great reasons for optimism.
After all, medical discoveries are very idiosyncratic. If you look at the history of these discoveries, you will see they can come at any time, from any place.
Read more about Dr. Corrine Fischer.
Geriatric Psychiatrist, Alzheimer Society Research Program